By Doug Stauffer
At January’s First Friday breakfast, the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted the Annual Installation and Awards Breakfast. Chamber members thanked the outgoing leadership and inducted new leadership.
Ted Corcoran pointed out the genuinely historic year of 2022 by highlighting three significant events initiated by the Chamber honoring local and historic military members. These included:
• The Doolittle Raiders’ Final Goblet Ceremony
• The 75th Anniversary of the Air Force
• The ODA 595 Horse Soldiers Silver Canteen Cup Ceremony
Ted invited Brig. General Jeffrey Geraghty, Commander, 96th Test Wing, to share the importance of a strong partnership between local businesses and the military communities. Step One Automotive Group announced the official “Forever Warriors” launch with an initial one-half million dollar endowment.
The Forever Warriors’ mission involves serving as “the bridge for service members, veterans and their families, connecting them with resources that specialize in mental health, transition and sustainment, and community immersion.” JC Correa, Step One COO, added, “Our role will be to support the many dedicated organizations that are already on the ground doing the work to help veterans and active duty military.”
2022 Chairman of the Board, Daniel “Gus” Gusoff ended his year by recognizing the Chamber staff, fellow board members, the Emerald Coast Harley Davidson team and his family for their support throughout the year. The awards portion of the installation banquet began with the following prestigious recognitions:
• The “Jim Glenn Ambassador of the Year Award” presented to Holly Karr, Beast Code
• The “Community Leadership Award” presented to Northwest Florida State College
• The “Small Business of the Year Award” presented to Emerald Coast Vibe
• The “Corporate Business of the Year” presented to Okaloosa Gas
Gusoff and Corcoran also bestowed the very beloved Teddy Awards to a few chosen chamber members. Teddy Award winners:
• Bill Walter, Retired Chief Master Sergeant USAF
• Donna Morgan, One Hopeful Place
• Rachelle Graves, The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce
• Chris Torres, Future Stars Football
• Neil Tabot, Primerica Financial Services
• Lori Leath Smith and Scott Miller, FWB Life Publication
• Barbara Britt, B Britt LLC
• Nathan Sparks, One Okaloosa
• Sarah Peavy, Emerald Coast Harley Davidson
• Dionna Haygood, Emerald Coast Harley Davidson
Gustoff passed the gavel to the incoming 2023 Chairman of the Board, Maureen Bierman of Step One Automotive Group. “I cannot think of a better time to be involved with the Chamber.” stated Bierman. She emphasized the importance of each member’s role in revitalising downtown Fort Walton Beach and promised to make “I Love FWB” the cornerstone of her year. “This is what Chambers are made for. It is up to all business owners to renovate, refresh, and advocate.”
The site will house all things related to the major projects happening in Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island. These include:
• Brooks Bridge Replacement Project
• The Landing Renovations
• Around The Mound
• Santa Rosa Boulevard improvements
• Bridge-to-Bridge bike path
As updates become available and new stories are published, they can be easily found via ilovefwb.com. FWB Life will also be highlighting stories specifically related to downtown Fort Walton Beach throughout the process. “It’s a pivotal time to be a part of the chamber,” said Lori Leath Smith, FWB Life publisher, “and we look forward to relaying the valuable information to our readers as we watch Fort Walton Beach positively transform.”
