The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce recently awarded local businesses for their successes, entrepreneurial spirit and community commitment at the 31st Annual Awards & Gala held Friday, April 8, at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.
Here are those who were honored at the gala:
Community Impact Award: Mary Washington Healthcare
“This nonprofit corporation has played an integral role in our community for 123 years. Their employees work tirelessly to improve the health of the people in the communities they serve which was evident throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the chamber stated in a news release.
Mary Washington Healthcare received the award for its “incredible commitment to the Fredericksburg regional community’s well-being as we’ve dealt with two of the most difficult years in modern history,” according to the news release.
Entrepreneur of the Year: Debby Girvan
Girvan founded her company in 2010 with the concept of a marketing consulting firm, the release states. The company has since evolved into a website design, development and maintenance digital marketing enterprise. It has nine employees and more than 175 clients spanning 19 states and three countries, according to the release.
During the pandemic, Girvan created the Fred Gift cards website, which helped local small businesses sell gift cards online. “This free service, paid for solely by our honoree, provided an opportunity for struggling businesses to maintain cash flow under dire circumstances,” the release states.
Small Businesses of the Year Award: Stafford Printing
This business was founded 35 years ago and over the years has expanded its equipment and services to meet the ever-evolving changes in printing services, the chamber said.
“Stafford Printing’s owner, Howard Owen, has always believed in giving back to the community that he serves, and he has done so in a big way,” the release states. He is a member of the Rappahannock Rotary Club, the Stafford County Economic Development Authority; and serves on the boards of the Stafford Hospital Foundation, Loisann’s Hope House, and the Fredericksburg Symphony.
Large Businesses of the Year Award: Flatter, Inc.
This family-owned federal services provider has been awarded 150 contracts with the federal government. Flatter, Inc. employs more than 200 individuals, both at its Spotsylvania headquarters and throughout the world.
During the height of the pandemic, the company expanded its Leadership Development arm, Two Roads Leadership, and offered coaching and leadership development services to a worldwide community of leaders, the chamber said.
The company has grown over 300% in the last five years; today, it continues to exceed 10% growth year over year. It recently won its largest contract to date, which was $30 million in support of Army training in Fort Lee, the release states.
The corporation gives back to the community by fulfilling Christmas lists of local families through the Fredericksburg Department of Social Services; serving at the United Way, and providing executive services free-of-charge to Leadership Fredericksburg, the release said.
Prince B. Woodard Leadership Award: Joel Griffin
Stafford County resident Griffin, the founder of several for-profit entities and a nonprofit, won the Prince B. Woodard Leadership Award, which honors an individual who has provided a lifetime of service and commitment to the Fredericksburg region.
Griffin was a Leadership Fredericksburg “early adopter,” participating in the chamber’s second class 14 years ago. He learned about the program through Stafford County’s Economic Development Authority, which he still serves on today as chairman
Griffin and his wife co-founded Gwyneth’s Gift Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and education of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and the use of Automated External Defibrillators in honor of their oldest daughter, Gwyneth.
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