SALISBURY — The Rowan Chamber of Commerce’s 98th Annual Meeting was held on Thursday evening at West End Plaza. Over 450 business and community leaders attended this year’s event. Title sponsorship was provided by Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. The event theme was “Bow Ties and Bold Beginnings!”

Annual award winners announced at the event included:

• Dillon Brewer — Young Professional of the Year
• Mean Mug Coffee Co. — Minority Business of the Year
• Walser Technology Group — Chamber Champion Small Business of the Year
• Dr. Christine Lynn — Paul E. Fisher Volunteer of the Year Award
• David Whisenant and Mark Wineka — Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award

The gavel passed from 2023 Chair of the Board Elaine Holden (North Carolina Transportation Museum Foundation) to 2024 Chair of the Board Terry Osborne (Rowan-Kannapolis ABC Board). The emcee for the evening was Katie Garner.

In addition to Title Sponsor Novant Health, Program Sponsors were: Duke Energy Carolinas, F & M Bank, Global Contact Services and Trinity Senior Services of Rowan. There were over 30 corporate table sponsors.

Dillon Brewer accepted the Rowan Chamber Young Professional of the Year award. He is an elected official in the Town of Rockwell and works for Cloninger Ford.

Evelyn Medina, co-owner of Mean Mug Coffee Company, accepted the new award for Minority Business of the Year. Elia Gegorek, chair of the Minority Business Council, presented this award for the first time.

Brad Walser accepted the Chamber Champion Small Business of the Year Award for Walser Technology Group. Walser’s 15-person computer services company recently celebrated their 20-year business anniversary.

Lynn with Catawba College was the recipient of the Paul E. Fisher Chamber Volunteer of the Year Award. She has been instrumental in strategic planning for the chamber and is involved in numerous other committees for the chamber, including the new Youth Leadership, Ambassadors, Workforce

Development Alliance and is a graduate of the Leadership Rowan program.

Whisenant and Wineka were presented with the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award. Whisenant recently retired from WBTV and Wineka recently retired from the Salisbury Post and Salisbury the Magazine. Whisenant and Wineka were recognized for their legacy of important news coverage, from both the print and broadcast journalism platforms.

The Rowan Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit private business advocacy organization with over 800-member firms. Member benefits include business advocacy, leadership development, workforce development, entrepreneurial development, networking programs, member referrals, newcomer packets and much more.