6-25-2024 12:24am

People Brought Together By Saline Area Chamber of Commerce Events

The Saline Area Chamber of Commerce (SACC) hosted two major events to recognize and celebrate the achievements of its outstanding citizens and businesses and strengthen community camaraderie. The Circle of Excellence event in April and last week’s golf outing were both resounding successes, highlighting the community and business connections.

The SACC combined two community events (Business Awards and Saline Salutes) into
one: The Circle of Excellence Awards.

The Saline Salute Awards, presented annually, were the most widely respected and prestigious recognition of the substantial contributions from living or working in the Saline area. SACC’s Business Awards are regarded as the pinnacle of recognition for businesses in the greater Saline area, acknowledging outstanding companies that have demonstrated exemplary business practices, maintained a stellar reputation for quality and service, and made significant contributions to the community.

Circle of Excellence

The following people were were honored.

Citizen of the Year – Janet Dillon
Distinguished Veteran – Jerry Austin
Visionary – Kim Kaster
Youth of the Year – Erin Huetteman

The following businesses were honored

Small Business – Kelly Orthodontics
Rising Star – Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union
Large Business – Emagine Theater Saline
Lifetime Achievement – Busch’s Fresh Food Market

Nominations were solicited and received by SACC, then evaluated by a panel of
business and community leaders. This Selection Committee consisted of the following
individuals:

Annherst Kreitz, Washtenaw Christian Academy – SACC Board liaison (nonvoting)
Jeremey Bebber, UTECH – SACC Board liaison (non-voting)
Michelle Dugan, SACC Executive Director – Staff liaison (non-voting)
Alice Rea, Thompson Reuters
Steve Godell, IVS Comm
Steve Laatsch, Saline Area Schools
Steve Bebber, Health Pro
Tim Austin, A & H Lawncare
Paul Hynek, Summerfest

Event sponsors included A & H Lawn Care, DTE and MMI Engineered Solutions.

Golf Outing

Last week’s golf outing at the beautiful Stonebridge Golf Club brought together 108 golfers from various businesses for a day of relaxation, networking and friendly competition. The event, held on June 11, featured an 18-hole golf tournament, lunch, light meal and an awards presentation for the top-performing teams and individuals.

Andrew Sivulka of Endurium Advisors said, “I’ve played in the SACC golf outing the past 3 years and I think this was the best one yet! The weather was perfect, the course was in great shape, and the event ran smoothly. Our Endurium team had a great time, and we were thrilled to come away with the victory against some very good competition. We look forward to another great event next year!”

Key highlights from the golf outing included:

First Place Team: Andrew Sivulka, Taylor Jackson, Jon Keller and Jerry Boquette of Endurium Advisors (55)
Second Place Team: combined Joh Siedlik of Black Rock, Ken Lewis of Sam’s Club and Dante Delabbio and Justin Welton of Standard Printing (58)
Longest Drive: (W) Jackie Garris of Garris, Garris, Garris & Garris, P.C. and (M) Adam Son of Bank of Ann Arbor
Longest Putt: (W) Taylor Tschirhart and (M) Kai Northrup of DTE Energy
Closest to the Pin: (W) Vanessa Byrd of Foresight Capital and (M) Alex Pushman of Jet’s Pizza – Saline
Dartboard Winner: Dan Demlow of Liebherr
Skins: Endurium (2 skins), A1-Ford (1 skin)
50/50: John Keller of Endurium Advisors

Event sponsors included DTE Natural Gas, MMI Engineered Solutions, Little Ceasars, Standard Printing & Design Co. and Bank of Ann Arbor.

Both events underscore the Chamber’s dedication to creating a supportive and rewarding community. By recognizing excellence and providing networking opportunities, the Chamber continues to invest in the success and well-being of its community. We are so grateful for all the sponsors of these events. Molly Luempert-Coy, SACC President adds, "The Circle of Excellence Awards gives SACC the opportunity to celebrate our outstanding Individuals and Chamber Members for their great work they do in the community. And our Golf Outing makes for wonderful networking, it was a beautiful day and great camaraderie enjoyed by all.”
If you are interested in becoming a member of SACC, it’s as easy as filling out an application here. Basic Membership is $30/month! Once completed and approved, new members select their preferred level of services from a menu of Basic, Partner, Corporate, or Enhanced levels of investment.

Interested in volunteering? Email office@salinechamber.org for more details. The Saline Area Chamber of Commerce is extremely excited to serve our members for another year and to show our community what is in store for 2024!