 It was a glowing night at Celebrate Winter Haven! Over 450 people joined us last night at Nora Mayo Hall to honor the many people who make Winter Haven a generous and authentic community. We also looked back on the year we had at the Winter Haven Chamber. In case you missed it, here are the 2024 honorees:
After all the awards were given, we did the traditional passing of the gavel from current Chairman Brian Reeves to incoming Chairman, Nick Plott. Every year this event reminds us that we truly are better together. And no community does it better than Winter Haven. Thank you to our Title Sponsor, AdventHealth, our many other sponsors, and our Celebrate Winter Haven committee. Check out this post to learn more about our honorees! Banker's Cup Man of the Year This year’s Man of the Year, T. Michael Stavres, exemplifies what it means to dedicate oneself to the betterment of Winter Haven. His volunteer work over the decades has made a tremendous impact on a wide variety of organizations, leaving an enduring legacy for future generations. T. Michael grew up here in town, and is a graduate of Winter Haven High School, so he has had a lifetime to make an impact on our city. He is a tireless advocate for young people and was one of the founding forces behind the Winter Haven Public Education Partnership, whose purpose is to increase public engagement with the Polk County Public Schools system. He has also been very involved with Girls Incorporated, serving as their board president and volunteering at many of their fundraisers. His journey of service began long before his professional career. As a teenager, he was a lifeguard for the City of Winter Haven. After graduating from high school, he continued his education at Polk State College, and then continued on to Florida State University (Go Noles!), where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He could have taken his talents anywhere, but his heart ultimately brought him back home. T. Michael is a strong advocate for the arts, working to bring sculptures to Central Park in Winter Haven. His guitar playing gigs at a multitude of places in town brought in a good amount of tips, so along with his partner musician, they began donating all proceeds from tips and merchandise sales to not only the local school band programs, but to other non-profit organizations, as well. To date, his idea to solve a funding problem for the arts has generated over more than $80,000 in donations. It that were not enough, he has delivered meals for Meals on Wheels and he has also been very involved in leadership positions at First Presbyterian Church, where he can often be found volunteering in their soup kitchen. He also never passes up the opportunity to mentor a young person who may be interested in learning more about working in his chosen profession. He was recently described to me as the person who fixes things when things need fixing! Banker's Cup Woman of the Year For the past century the Banker’s Cup award has sought to honor those who have made significant contributions to the betterment of Winter Haven. The tapestry that is our history has been woven by the contributions of its civic-minded citizens. These individuals tend to have a lasting impact – many times without even realizing it. Our 2024 Woman of the Year, Jane McGinnis, has contributed significantly to Winter Haven’s tapestry with her dedication to a variety of organizations. Jane came to Winter Haven more than 45 years ago as she followed her beloved Red Sox to Spring Training. And when the Red Sox moved to Fort Myers decades later, she and her husband maintained their residence here. Eager to give back, she found many interests including: Friends of the Library The Mission of Winter Haven The Symphony Guild of Winter Haven and the Museum of Winter Haven History Add to that her passionate support for Theatre Winter Haven, The Polk State College Foundation, Meals on Wheels, Gram Parsons Derry Down and the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team. At Christmas time, you’ll find her organizing the collection of colorful new socks that adorn the Christmas tree at Girls Inc. and gifted to the participants in their program. But her dedication to a cause has never been more evident than in her leadership of the city’s oldest civic organization for the past decade. She brought renewed energy, creative programming and commitment to student scholarships – breathing new life into the Woman’s Club of Winter Haven – an organization founded by Dr. Mary B. Jewett that predates the Banker’s Cup award by 11 years. A master of persuasion, she once convinced Bob Gernert to dress up as Cypress Garden’s founder Dick Pope for a skit in the club’s “If These Walls Could Talk” program. And that persuasion was never more evident than last year when – in less than a month – she raised most of the $20,000 necessary to refurbish what we now call the “Centennial Steinway” – a grand piano dating to 1895 – in celebration of the Woman’s Club building’s 100th anniversary this year. In 2017, she was recognized by Girls Inc. with the Alice Thompson She Knows Where She’s Going Award. Exceedingly gracious, always positive, ever encouraging … baseball may have brought her here – but Winter Haven won her heart. Presidential Ambassadors We were thrilled to honor our presidential ambassadors who are a true extension of the chamber staff and some of our biggest cheerleaders. If you have ever attended a Chamber event - whether it’s a ribbon cutting, grand opening, or networking event - you will know that our Chamber Ambassadors are a dedicated team who work tirelessly to help our members feel welcome and valued. We presented 4 Ambassadors with their Presidential designation for 2023-2024.
Key to the Chamber Tammy Bracwell was honored with the Key to the Winter Haven Chamber last night. For those of you who don’t know Tammy Bracewell, she is the President of the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals and the owner of one of our Chamber Member businesses, The Crooked Bass Grill & Tavern. During a time of transition, our board of directors sought out extra help to make sure the Chamber didn’t miss a beat. In doing so, Tammy came onto the Chamber team to lead us through the transition with grace, wisdom and a true love of Chamber work. While she was only with us for two months, it has felt like she’s always been an extension of our team, and most importantly, our forever friend. It’s because of her dedication and hard work that we can stand here tonight to celebrate all that the future holds for our Chamber of Commerce. Small Business of the Year This year's recipient of the Small Business of the Year Award is NextHome Norris & Company Realty. Owners Michael & Dee Norris have over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry and are true experts in their field. Because of their skills and leadership, they have become some of the top producers in both residential and commercial properties. Not only do they approach their work with a high-level of excellence, they do the same in their community service as well. Their slogan is, “Humans over houses,” and one local organization was the beneficiary of the action of that slogan. The NextHome team stepped up and provided 150 bags of supplies to feed some of the families of the Boys & Girls Club of Polk County. They have also hosted RED NOSE DAY which is an nationwide initiative to end child poverty. The money gathered from the purchase of the red noses supports programs that keep children safe, healthy and educated – both here in the United States and around the world. Let’s not forget Luke Day, an annual event that raises significant collections for local charities. In June of 2024, NextHome welcomed donations for the Women's Resource Center, a non-profit organization that has been in Polk County since 1983 and continues to help women, men and families in crisis. Their efforts in the community demonstrate their commitment to making a positive impact beyond just their business. We couldn’t be more proud to have businesses like NextHome in our community. Large Business of the Year This year's recipient of the Large Business of the Year Award is The Agricultural & Labor Program The Agricultural & Labor Program was incorporated in 1978 and has far extended past it’s humble beginnings. Today, the ALPI is leveraging its resources to employ over 200 employees and administer an annual agency wide budget in excess of 19 million dollars. Their mission is to collaborate with community partners to deliver human service programs that empower economically disadvantaged and others to be self sufficient. APLI was funded 2.7 million dollars in 1993 by the US Department of Agriculture, Farmers Home Administration to construct 58 units of affordable rental housing for farm laborers. In 1996, the New Horizon House Development opened for occupancy and has since been operating at 95 to 100% capacity. They have also established Regional Advisory Councils. These councils are very active in planning and sponsoring activities that generate community involvement and participation. With a high focus on collaboration, ALPI maximizes the use of limited resources. ALPI also provides developmentally appropriate early education for health, nutrition, dental, mental health, parent information and more. They are also certified as a Child/Adult Care Food Program agency which provides nutrition and meal services to Head Start and Child Care Program participants. Service to the disadvantaged is a calling and an incredible need in our communities. Without organizations like ALPI, we would never have the chance to move forward towards a world that embraces equal opportunity for all. Entrepreneur of the Year This year, we recognized Steve Kalogridis as the 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year. Steve Kalogridis has always had a love for Winter Haven and foresaw a need for multifamily housing in and around downtown. With the help of investors, he launched Silver Properties in 2017 to purchase and rehabilitate neglected multifamily complexes. Some of the well-known projects he has worked on are 20 on Second, Raindance Winter Haven, Flats on F and the Breeze Winter Haven that is currently under construction. Outside of his work with Silver Properties, Steve has been heavily involved in organizations like Main Street Winter Haven and The Ritz Theatre. You can find Steve at events like CommunityFest, scooping popcorn for families in the park with Representative Sam Killebrew. Steve’s dedication and love for Winter Haven always shines through. His ability to meet current needs while looking into the future, makes a huge difference for residents and visitors alike. Passing of the Gavel To conclude the evening, all of our past Chamber Chair's came to the stage to do the time-honored tradition of passing the gavel. This year, our current board Chair, Brian Reeves, passed the gavel to incoming board Chair, Nick Plott. We are grateful for all that Brian has done for the Chamber and looking forward to all that Nick will accomplish in 2024-2025. It's a bright future ahead! Thank you to our sponsors listed below. Title Sponsor:    
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