Throughout October and November, the Chamber Foundation led a series of community information sessions about Osceola County’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant award. These community conversations were held at Osceola County library branches providing constituents the opportunity to learn about the grant award and its implications for Osceola County.
Additionally, a Build Back Better Roundtable was held November 9th bringing together members from Osceola Chamber boards, Coalitions, Area Councils, and membership for conversation centered around the efforts of the Build Back Better Regional Grant and its pivotal role in the growth and expansion of NeoCity. Congressman Darren Soto provided video remarks highlighting the history of NeoCity while pledging his continued support from a federal level. Osceola County Manager Don Fisher highlighted the six projects under the scope of the Build Back Better award and how this will help propel Osceola County’s leadership role for semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing.
As part of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant award, the Chamber Foundation will continue to offer community outreach and engagement opportunities throughout the coming months. Continue to watch the Chamber website, social media, and e-newsletter for news about future information sessions.
The Osceola Chamber will host our 99th Annual Meeting on February 3, 2024 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Every year at this event, attendees look forward to learning who will take home our major awards, including the Linda Goodwin-Nichols Service Award and the Guillermo Hansen Unity Award. We are now accepting applications for both awards through December 22, 2023.
Linda Goodwin-Nichols Service Award Nomination Form
The Linda Goodwin-Nichols Service Award is named after Linda Goodwin-Nichols of Goodwin Realty & Associates, two-time Chairman of The Osceola Chamber Board of Directors, and a stalwart of Osceola’s Business Community for over 40 years. Throughout her career, Linda has epitomized community involvement and giving back selflessly, and this award honors an individual who will carry on her legacy. Recent past winners include Kelly Trace, Larry Walter, and Rev. Mary Downey. Click on the link above to nominate deserving individuals for this award.
Guillermo Hansen Unity Award Nomination Form
To recognize the importance of the Chamber’s core values of “Embracing Heritage,” “Creating Opportunity,” and “Building Unity,” and our partners who promote them, in January of 2018 Chairman Tim Finkenbinder announced the creation of an award to emphasize these values – particularly “Building Unity.” 2024 will mark the fifth presentation of this award. The Osceola community was saddened by the loss earlier this year of Guillermo “Bill” Hansen, the inaugural winner of this award and owner and editor of El Osceola Star Newspaper. Guillermo was a longtime Chamber member who was also a community leader known for building bridges among the diverse populations of Osceola County. As an example of what this award exemplifies, it was renamed in his honor this year. Click on the link above to nominate deserving individuals for this award.
Nominees will receive an application to complete and winners will be chosen by a panel of judges. The top three finalists will be announced ahead of The Osceola Chamber’s Annual Meeting on February 3, 2024 and the award recipient will be revealed at the event.
Last week our Young Professionals recognized eight new Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Award recipients for the year 2023. Each year the YPs honor a new group of outstanding individuals age 40 and under. Candidates are nominated by their coworkers or peers before completing a detailed application. The only requirement is that they live or work in Osceola County. A selection committee comprised of past winners and community leaders then scores the applications to determine a class of 5 to 10 winners.
This year, eight remarkable individuals were chosen. This diverse group included Steps Foundation founder Abigail Ellis, Elev8 Mortgage’s Ulysses Escobar, City of Kissimmee Redevelopment Planner Benjamin Burnett, El Osceola Star owner & editor Yanin Hansen, Ufuoma, Incorporated founder Nicole Abodo, JP Morgan Chase Bank’s Edgardo Salgado, Dorsainvil Creative Group owner and Haitians Who Blog founder Shirley Dor, and Vision Osceola founder and Hello Website Design owner Alyssa Noel. You can read more about them and their accomplishments at the Young Professionals Facebook page.
These eight professionals and their accomplishments were celebrated at an awards reception at The Heritage Club at Osceola Heritage Park surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues, as well as members of the Young Professionals Board of Directors. Attendees enjoyed light bites, a full bar, and time for networking between awards.
Be on the lookout in 2024 to nominate next year’s batch of Tomorrow’s Leaders Today!
Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Want to get involved with the Young Professionals? Look for invitations to the Young Professionals Coalition meetings beginning in 2024!
Gallery of Award Winners & Event Gallery
