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The Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its 13th annual Chamber Banquet March 31 at the Wendell Mitchell Conference Center on the campus of LBW Community College.

Executive Director Tracy Salter said the event offers an opportunity for chamber members, coworkers, family and friends, to gather and celebrate the many successes of the community.

“We were unable to host a banquet in 2021 due to concern and consideration surrounding COVID-19,” Salter said.  “The Chamber and its board of directors is excited to hold the event this year and is looking forward to seeing the faces of community business leaders, city and county officials, and individual chamber members and friends.”

The annual banquet is a time that the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes local individuals and businesses for their contributions to the chamber and community.

“The banquet is an opportunity to bring business and individual members together at one place to network with one another, meet and greet other members, and to highlight businesses and individuals for their contributions to the chamber and community during the awards recognition ceremony,” Salter said.

Salter said that this year’s event will feature a catered dinner and the presentation of several awards and recognitions.  “We have so many wonderful businesses and individuals in our community and the banquet is an opportunity to recognize some of them.”

The Citizen of the Year, Spirit of Greenville, John D. Murphy, New Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, and Distinguished Business of the Year awards are traditional awards presented at the event. Salter said that this year’s banquet will recognize two new categories: Unsung Hero, which will recognize non-profit/volunteer organizations or individuals; and the Milestone Award, which will recognize companies and organizations who have displayed perseverance and achieved longevity in their business.

Chamber board President, Dave Crenshaw, said that there are so many amazing and deserving businesses and individuals within the community that the Executive Board felt adding the two additional categories was the perfect opportunity to acknowledge a few more establishments for their achievements.

“This is always an exciting time for the chamber,” Crenshaw said.   “It gives us an opportunity to recognize businesses that have been a part of our community for so many years.  It also allows us to recognize some of our organizations that have contributed  to the people of our community  in a big way that really no one hears about.”

Tickets for the event, which will begin at 6:30 p.m., are $25 and include dinner. To purchase tickets, contact the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce at (334) 382-3251.

The deadline to purchase tickets is March 21.