TIFTON — The Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce held its 2022 chamber banquet Jan. 27, with members of the chamber and community aplenty to celebrate another year of success and award the outstanding members of the Tifton community.

Held at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center, the event was dedicated to looking back on the achievements of 2021, as well as an opportunity to award members who distinguished themselves in their fields.

Seven awards were presented to exceptional members of the community, each praising their recipients for their achievements in their specific field.

The Prince Business Woman of the Year Award was presented to Darby Veazey of State Farm, recognizing her for excellence in her profession and involvement in the community. Veazey’s business has grown and thrived during the past 28 years due to her work, and she has remained a continued presence in the school, church and Tifton communities, chamber officials said.

Jody Benson with Georgia Premier Services was named Chamber Ambassador of the Year for her dedication to the chamber mission and her constant presence and involvement at all of the chamber’s events.

Dr. Homer Day received the Stafford Award for his outstanding leadership and service to Tift County. Day has served in leadership positions at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College for 30 years, as well as on various boards in the community.

Liem Nguyen was awarded the John Hunt Entrepreneur of the Year award for his efforts in expanding the business community of Tifton. Since 2001, Nguyen has continued to bring new businesses and growth to Tifton, and with the recent opening of his fifth business, Camole Mexican Grill, he shows no signs of stopping any time soon, chamber representatives said.

Alec Joiner of Edward Jones received the J. Lamar Branch Memorial Award, given to a newer Chamber Ambassador best exhibiting the outstanding leadership that the namesake of the award personified, chamber representatives said. Joiner was awarded this to praise his enthusiasm for chamber events and his dedication to help as a board member and member of multiple committees.

The Rotary Club’s Ethics in Business Award, given to a local business that exemplifies stellar ethical behavior and contributes to preserving and improving the well-being of the community, was awarded to the Howard Center. The award recognizes the center for consistently demonstrating honesty and integrity toward employees, customers and contractors while also providing local jobs to the community.

Grady Thompson, who served as chairman of the Tift County Board of Commissioners for 16 years and is a successful business owner, was named to the Wall of Fame for his many years of service to Tifton and Tift County in a variety of ways.

The banquet was concluded by the outgoing Chamber Board Chairman Dereck Sumner passing the gavel to incoming Chairman Jared Ross with both speaking on the work behind them and the work to come.

Sumner thanked the members of the board, the chamber and the chamber staff for their work during the past year and the support of the community. Ross closed the event by expressing his expectations for the year to come, looking forward to the future of the chamber.