Chamber honors “best in business” at annual awards ceremony

Updated: December 01, 2010

At its annual awards celebration, the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce revealed recipients of six awards and celebrated their contributions to our area. “A Toast to Our Communities” was held Thursday, November 11, at 5:30 p.m. at the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame, 2425 Prairie Meadow Drive, Iowa City.

Nominations were submitted by community members and recipients were selected through online voting on the Chamber’s Web site.

Guests sampled wines and tasted delectable hors d’oeuvres as fellow Chamber members were honored for their unique contributions to the community.

Award recipients (Excerpts from nominations)

Eliot Keller Small Business of the Year: Keystone IT - SPONSORED BY ACT
Keystone IT was founded as a "one stop IT shop" to serve small businesses and remains committed to them. Keystone started with five accounts in 2007, and has grown to do business with about 100 companies. Continued dedication from existing customers along with the addition of new accounts has driven an increase in Keystone’s revenue, even with the economic downturn.

Keystone IT employees also serve the greater community as volunteers for the Johnson County Consortium for Successful Aging, the Housing and Community Development Commission, the Noon Rotary, and Boy Scouts.

Economic Development: Systems Unlimited, Inc.
Systems Unlimited provides comprehensive services to 150 individuals with developmental disabilities in the Iowa City / Coralville area. These individuals spend approximately $1,000 per month on living expenses which translates into $1.8 million yearly for the local economy. Systems Unlimited employs 571 employees and spends $17 million locally each year.

Diversity and Inclusion: University of Iowa - SPONSORED BY ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
For more than 150 years, the University of Iowa has been committed to maintaining a welcoming and diverse community of students, faculty, and staff, dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge in an atmosphere of fairness and mutual respect, where differences are not only welcomed, but valued.
The University has recently hosted a disability summit, a Statewide Veterans Conference, requested input on race and ethnicity through a survey, and organized a relief fund for Haitian earthquake victims.

Honored Farm Family: Jim and Ruth Dane
Jim and Ruth have farmed since 1978. Jim has served as President, Vice President, and Voting Delegate for the Johnson County Farm Bureau and held several offices with Old Capitol Kiwanis. He currently serves on the Johnson County Ag Association Board. Ruth has taught at Lemme School for more than twenty years.

Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Melisa Henley (Employed by MidWestOne Bank) - SPONSORED BY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGIONAL BLOOD
Melisa has donated more than 120 hours of time to the Chamber. Melisa is an active Ambassador, 2010 Chair of the North Liberty Steering Committee, a Community Leadership Program class member and Total Resource Campaign volunteer. Melisa’s has an unwavering commitment to the Chamber.

Spark Leadership Award: Mande Butler (Employed by Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity).
Mande, a member of the 2008-09 CLP class, helped found the Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity ReStore as a VISTA volunteer. She has led the effort to make the local ReStore a leader in recycling in the Midwest. Mande’s work with ReStore has saved more than 300,000 pounds from the landfill and salvaged materials from 16 flood damaged homes.

She initiated and coordinate the City of Iowa City’s Furniture Project, Rummage in the Ramp, and the Eastside Recycling Center and has trained nearly 30 individuals in work study, Kirkwood’s Alternative Jobs program, and AmeriCorps.

Ambassador of the Year: Ottis Bunning (Employed by Suburban Hotel)
Ottis has an excellent Ambassador event record, attending numerous events throughout the community. He also attended a ribbon cutting on the holiday weekend, demonstrating a strong commitment to our community and enthusiasm for the Ambassadors. Ottis has been a speaker for Ambassador events, welcoming new businesses to the area. Ottis currently serves on the Chamber’s Ambassador Executive Committee as well as the North Liberty Steering Committee.