THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 5, 1995 TAG: 9502030256
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JENNIFER C. O'DONNELL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
When it came time for the city's Chamber of Commerce to recognize the achievements of its members, staff members say they didn't have to search very long for candidates.
``We have so many devoted members,'' said Karen Motil, a spokesperson for the Chesapeake Division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, ``and the winners this year are truly remarkable people.''
The chamber presented the awards at its annual meeting.
Nancy Mansfield, assistant vice president for Crestar Bank, received the Athena Award for 20 years of service to the chamber and community.
It was the first time the Chesapeake division presented the Athena Award, which recognizes the achievement of outstanding professional and business women. Recipients must demonstrate excellence in their business or profession and devote time and energy to the community and to the chamber.
Over the years, Mansfield has chaired or co-chaired numerous committees for the chamber, including the public relations committee for the Chesapeake Jubilee and the chamber's lobby committee. She's currently co-chairing the fund-raising committee for the much talked about Fun Forest project.
``It was such a thrill to be honored this way,'' said Mansfield. ``It proves that if you want to put forth the effort, there's always something you can do to improve your community.''
The chamber's Commendation Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has made a contribution to the quality of life in Chesapeake, was awarded to Robert Ripley, initiator of the ``Paint Your Heart Out Chesapeake'' project.
More than 1,000 volunteers from the community are expected to paint and improve the homes of 25 elderly and low-income families this year through the ``Paint Your Heart Out Chesapeake'' program.
Ripley came up with the idea for the project after noting the success of a similar project in Florida.
Don Deveau, director of resource management for Huntsman Chemical Corp., received the chamber's highest internal award, the Chairman's Award. The award is presented each year to an individual who's demonstrated exceptional service to the chamber and its members.
Deveau is the chamber's resident expert on environmental affairs. He assisted the city in establishing the curbside recycling program and helped develop recycling programs for the public school system.
Deveau also established the chamber's annual corporate environmental awards, which honor local businesses for their recycling efforts. This year the award went to Lillian Vernon Corp., Leitch Inc. and Virginia International Terminals.
The chamber also installed new officers and board members at its Jan. 26 annual meeting.
The new chairman is Robert Hunter, president of First Union National Bank. Hunter and his family moved to Chesapeake from Miami two years ago, but he's ``already devoted to improving the area's business community.''
Hunter said he intends to spend the next year improving business recruitment and retention.
``We need to bring the area's municipalities together so that we don't compete with each other for business. We need to compete with cities like Richmond and Charlotte rather than with each other.''
Ripley adds that he'll stay on top of other issues of importance to the community. ``I'm anxious to continue the support for road initiatives such as the Oak Grove connector and the widening of Route 168.''
Also installed as officers were Nancy Cross of Cahoon & Cross, treasurer; Stephen St. John of Faggert & Friedan, P.C., immediate past chairman; Lynn Pierce of Central Fidelity Bank, vice chairman for community affairs; Louis Haddad of Armada/Hoffler Construction, vice chairman for economic development; Glenn Hampton of McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, vice chairman for governmental affairs; and William Copeland of Commerce Bank, vice chairman for organizational affairs. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Nancy Mansfield
Don Deveau
Robert Ripley
by CNB