The recent Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce banquet honored business leaders, entrepreneurs and Chamber members.

Dr. Homer Day was inducted into the Wall of Fame. Day was a member of the professional staff at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College for 30 years, a successful career which culminated by being named the Interim President in 2000. He has also served on the Board of Commissioners for the Tifton Housing Authority for over 25 years, including the last 20 as the Board Chair. Additionally, he serves on the Tift County Development Authority, is the treasurer for PLIGHT, Inc., and as the Chairman of the Board of Deacons at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church.

Fortson Turner of Turner’s Furniture was the winner of the Stafford Award, recognizing excellence in business leadership and contributions to economic development. Turner, along with his brother Austin, is a fourth-generation co-owner of Turner’s Furniture and, under his leadership, the company has grown to include 11 stores from Middle Georgia to North Florida as well as a distribution center in Tifton.

Mandy Brooks received the Prince Business Woman of the Year Award. Brooks is the executive director of the Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation, which helps to provide assistance to patients in need in a variety of ways. Under her leadership, the Foundation’s philanthropic efforts have grown, most recently with the addition of the Mobile Clinic “Care-A-Van” which brings healthcare services to areas in the community that have the largest need.

Ernest Lang received the Tifton Rotary Club Ethics in Business Award. Lang took over his family business, Lang Printing and Office Supply, in the mid 1970s and it continued to grow and serve the company’s business needs before recently announcing its closing.

Bill Park won the John Hunt Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Park is the president and CEO of Tifton Quality Peanuts, a farmer-owned corporation formed in 2006. The business, which employs 94 full-time personnel,  has thrived as it produces about 160 million pounds of edible product each year and ships its product to some of the largest retailers in the industry.

Dr. Ryan Currie was the winner of the J. Lamar Branch Award. Currie has been an instructor in the Stafford School of Business at ABAC since 2017 after previously working as an attorney in the Atlanta area. He has been an active Ambassador with the Chamber of Commerce and often brings his students to Chamber functions so that they can learn more about the community.

Jody Benson was named the Ambassador of the Year. Benson is a sales consultant with Georgia Premier Services and has served as an Ambassador with the Chamber of Commerce for many years. A Berrien County native, Benson is also a former J. Lamar Branch Award winner and is a consistent presence and all Chamber of Commerce events.