Tag Archive for: #hendersonvancechamberofcommerce

Chamber Honors Judge Henry Banks As 2025 Citizen Of The Year; State Farm Margier White Named Small Business Of The Year

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Former District Court Judge J. Henry Banks was named the 2025 Citizen of the Year Thursday at the 88th annual banquet of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. State Farm Margier White received the Small Business of the Year award and Stephanie Harp was recognized as the 2025 Chamber Ambassador of the Year.

2026 Board Chair Dr. Abidan Shah shared highlights of the recipient’s long career and association in the community. He established a practice in October 1973 with his law partner after graduating from N.C. Central ‘s law school and later served on the Henderson City Council from 1983-1996. He was mayor pro tem from 1993-1996 and was appointed district court judge by then-Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr. He served on the bench from 1996 to 2025.

He also has a long association with the NAACP and served as the Vance County NAACP counsel for 23 years.

In his remarks, Shah called Banks a “quiet hero” whose honesty and integrity inspire others.

“This is overwhelming,” Banks admitted when he took the podium to receive the award.

“This is a great event, but more importantly, this is a great community. I’m proud to be a member, a citizen, of this community.”

Banks said he’s always considered himself a public servant. And as a public servant, he keeps three things top of mind: family, community and religion.

One particular Bible verse he called his focus, his “primary guiding star” comes from Micah in the Old Testament. It’s Chapter 6, verse 8:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

“That is what I’ve tried to do over the years,” Banks said. “I hope… I have succeeded.”

Duke Energy’s East Region Director for Government and Community Relations Beth Townsend presented the Small Business of the Year award to Margier White.

In the 10+ years that the company has been in business, the staff has doubled – from 3 to 6 – and the commitment to community organizations is far-reaching. From youth organizations like Scouting programs, rec programs, the Boys & Girls Club, Smart Start to Shop with A Cop and the Hubzone, White and her team provide support to a wide range of “meaningful causes that matter to the people they serve,” Townsend said.

In accepting the award, White said she and her team are driven by more than business goals.

They share a deep commitment to the community they serve she said.

“Vance County, Henderson you are our community,” White said.

“We believe that success is measured not only by profits but by the positive impact we can leave,” she continued. “That’s why we’ve dedicated ourselves to giving back in meaningful ways through volunteerism, sponsorships, supporting scholarship programs and providing financial support to numerous organizations in our community.”

She and her team truly care about the people and the neighborhoods that have given them support and trust over the years.

“Our commitment to community is at the heart of everything we do and it fuels our passion to keep growing and improving,” White said. “We’re striving to make a meaningful difference every single day.”

Red, white and blue were the colors of the evening as a nod to the America 250 celebration. The theme for the banquet, Heritage – Where History meets Opportunity, featured a video with Shah as he shared a history of the county going back to the pre-Revolutionary era. Find a link to the video on the Chamber’s Facebook page.

Chamber Rescheduled ‘Women In Business Lunch And Learn’ Featuring Miss North Carolina for Mar.23

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce has announced that the Women In Business Lunch and Learn has been rescheduled for Monday, Mar. 23 at 12 noon.

Bad weather forced the cancellation of the Jan. 28 event, but organizers said “From the Crown to the Community” featuring the 87th Miss North Carolina Sophia Kellstrom will take place beginning at 12 noon at Kerr Lake Country Club.

The event is hosted by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce and Van e County Tourism Authority.

Kerr Lake Country Club is located at 600 Hedrick Drive, Henderson.

 

Now is the Time to Join the H-V Chamber of Commerce

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With all the ribbon-cuttings taking place recently, the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce has had to keep those giant scissors sharpened. This is a busy time for the Chamber, not just because of all those ceremonial welcomes – it’s also annual membership campaign season.

And Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s been a busy time at the chamber,” Wilkerson said on Tuesday’s TownTalk, “but it’s been a great time” as new businesses and new members come on board.

Of course, Wilkerson said, the Chamber welcomes new members any time during the year, but folks who join during the membership campaign won’t get another bill until January of 2027 – that’s like getting 15 months for 12. The current campaign runs through Dec. 19.

As Wilkerson sees it, a members’ annual dues are really an investment from members who reap the benefits of being a part of an organization that brings people from across the community together to network with each other, forming partnerships and friendships.

“You get out of it what you put into it,” she said, emphasizing that the regular get-togethers have a way of strengthening ties within the business community. “If you are one who never gets out of the office, you’ll lose some of that energy,” she said.

And the Chamber’s fundraisers also are celebrations, she said, as people come together for a common goal.

“It’s so much more for the people that come and participate,” she said.

When Wilkerson realized she needed to offer something for the members that are nonprofit organizations, the Chamber started quarterly nonprofit engagement gatherings. The most recent one had 80 people in attendance.

“It’s been very successful,” she said. They bring in speakers – some local, some from elsewhere – and learn about grant opportunities and more.

Last week’s “State Of” luncheon had more than 100 people, and Wilkerson said it’s been a popular series for the community to learn what’s up in the community and across the region.

Another Chamber-sponsored program is Leadership Vance, which brings a diverse group of people from a cross-section of the community together for a months-long program to learn about the county where they live and work.

“I’ve seen so many people in Leadership Vance,” she said, “so many that go on to become Chamber ambassadors, board members and elected officials…and a greater love for the community.”

A spinoff of that is a student version of Leadership Vance. It started a few years ago to get high school students involved in learning about and appreciating all the positives in the county. This year, 44 students applied for the program, and the Chamber loosened up the 16-participant cap to make room for 19.

“These kids can go out and spread that positivity to their peers and to their parents,” Wilkerson said.

The Chamber has its finger in a lot of pies throughout the community, but for Wilkerson, the best part about being the Chamber president is getting to spotlight local businesses. As a lifelong Vance County resident, she said it’s interesting to go into a business and sit down with people she may have known for a long time and learn all about their work and how they fit in – and give back to – the community they call home.

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(The audio and information above was originally air and posted on WIZS and WIZS.com on October 28, 2025)

State of Region – When Will Triangle Overflows Get to Vance

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Economists analyze data and then make projections about things that matter to individuals, governments and other organizations. They do research, make evaluations and help make sense of money, taxes and how much things cost.

N.C. State University professor emeritus Dr. Mike Walden shed some light on prospective growth in Vance County and surrounding areas on Wednesday during a ‘State of the Region’ event sponsored by the Kerr-Tar COG and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce.

There were no big surprises or ‘aha’ moments in Walden’s remarks to those who’d gathered for the lunchtime program at Henderson Country Club, but Walden’s observations served to rekindle some enthusiasm about what’s possible when it comes to economic growth.

Vance and Warren counties have taken a backseat to Granville and Franklin counties as growth from the Triangle area overflows outside the Raleigh-Durham metro area.

“The counties that have lagged the most were Vance and Warren. Franklin and Granville look better.”

Walden pointed out that Vance County has all the things that attract economic growth – great people, the community college, proximity to the interstate, among others.

And yet, Vance and Warren counties are “one row back” from that inevitable growth – the first wave is hitting Granville and Franklin first, he said. It boils down to one simple, yet immutable thing: Geography.

Walden noted that Vance County is not part of Gov. Josh Stein’s new program to expand internet access, but Granville, Warren and Franklin counties are. He said if he were a Vance County leader, he’d definitely check into that and find out why.

Vance County lags behind the state in households with internet access, for example. About 64 percent of households in the county have high speed internet, compared to 91 percent for the state, he said.

Internet accessibility will continue to be important for businesses looking to locate in the area, but also for residential growth to accommodate employees who may be looking to work remotely.

“I think that there are some positives for you for the future,” Walden said. “The biggest thing that will improve the economic outlook for your future,” he said, is that Vance County is in the path of growth.

Let developers know that Vance County is re-energized, he said, and geared up to work with businesses interested in coming to this part of North Carolina.

Hopefully, the takeaway from his remarks, Walden said, is optimism.

“The growth is going to come,” he said.

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HV Chamber Recognizes 2025 Leadership Vance Class At Annual Graduation Banquet

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The 2025 Class of Leadership Vance had its graduation ceremony last week, adding 17 individuals to the roster of graduates that has successfully completed the annual program hosted by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce.

Representatives from a wide range of entities – from banking to local government, nonprofits and the faith community – make up the latest group to take part in the comprehensive program that serves as a way to network with others while learning about the county in which they live and work.

The banquet took place on Thursday, Aug. 28 at the Henderson Country Club. Members of the class shared details about the project they undertook as part of the program, and shared a video that showed highlights of their time together.

Here’s a list of the 2025 class and the organization/workplace each represents:

Judy Ayscue – Benchmark Community Bank

David Caudle – Henderson Family YMCA

Tyler Davis – The Daily Dispatch

Jamie Dittmeyer – City of Henderson

Joseph Coleman Falkner – Paddle Consulting Group, LLC

Victoria Glasscock – KerrTar Regional Council of Governments

Darryl Jones – Community Partners of Hope

Hassan Kingsberry – City of Henderson

DeVona E.Kittrell – Vance County Tax Office

Katie Lee – Vance Recovery

Penny McGhee – CornerClean, LLC

Ferdinand Rouse – Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Commission

Dr. Abidan Shah – Clearview Church

Angela Simmons – Vance-Granville Community College

Charles Turrentine, Jr. – Exquizid Cuts/Pathways 2 Peace

Amber Varner – First National Bank

Donna Young – Maria Parham Health

Chamber Members, Join The Aug. 19 “Cheer Line” To Welcome School Staffs To Convocation Kick-Off At McGregor Hall

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce invites Chamber members to turn out on Tuesday, Aug. 19 to help welcome back teachers and staff at the Vance County Schools Convocation Kick-Off at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center.

Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson says to be in place by 8 a.m. with pompoms, company signs and your business mascot to “show loud hometown spirit” in support of educators as they embark on another school year.

Buses will begin dropping off teachers between 8:15 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. It’d be great to have them walk through a cheer line of local business leaders and other community-minded citizens as they enter McGregor Hall to begin the convocation!

Chamber Challenge Golf Tournament Set For Thursday, Oct. 2 At Kerr Lake Country Club

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The 27th annual Chamber Challenge golf tournament is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 2 and now’s the time to register – the deadline is Sept. 22, but Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson said not to wait too long – the spots fill up fast!

The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce and Presenting Sponsor Margier White-State Farm Insurance invite you to join us in making this event a fun and successful fundraiser at Kerr Lake Country Club.

The Chamber is seeking sponsors and donations for golfers’ gift bags as well as players for the tournament. It will be a day full of fun, food, golf and networking.

Here’s the link to the registration page, which contains information about sponsorship levels and more:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ogbl&pli=1#inbox/WhctKLbfNwzVWKRhkLZpzMMRpBHKgfMrDQGtdbJFSkqWTvPsNnzdDTgrPpmbqJzcQDwkHdV?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1

Chamber Of Commerce Sends Letter To Mayor, Council Members

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The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has sent a letter to the mayor and City Council members asking that local elected officials conduct meetings in a positive, constructive manner.

Chamber Board President Scott Burwell signed the letter, as well as Beth Townsend and Kevin Wade, co-chairs of the Chamber’s Government & Public Affairs Committee.

The letter was cc’d to City Attorney Hassan T. Kingsberry, Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson and members of the Chamber board.

The letter is dated July 1, and reads as follows:

Dear Mayor and City Council Members:

I hope this message finds you well. The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of the business community in matters that affect the ability of local businesses to prosper and grow, and the ability of Henderson and Vance County to attract new businesses.  I am writing to respectfully encourage you, local elected officials, to conduct open meetings and business-related meetings in a manner that promotes productive dialogue, economic growth, and positive business relations.

Effective governance relies not only on policy but also on the tone and conduct of those in public service. When decision-making is rooted in civility, collaboration, and strategic thinking, it fosters a stable environment where businesses can plan, invest, and grow with confidence. In contrast, divisiveness and unproductive behavior can undermine investor confidence, stall progress, and weaken our region’s economic competitiveness.

Our local business community—small and large enterprises alike—looks to leadership for consistency, transparency, and a commitment to creating a supportive economic environment. On behalf of the Chamber member businesses, the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors urges you to continue championing policies and practices that strengthen partnerships, encourage innovation, and attract long-term investment.

Thank you for your service and dedication to our community. I appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to seeing continued leadership that reflects the values and priorities of the business community you represent.

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Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Chamber’s ‘State Of Agriculture’ Remembers History, Speaks To Future Of Farming

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If you’ve ever had a garden, you know the feeling of excitement and expectation associated with planting seeds or slips and waiting for the reward of harvesting a vine-ripened tomato, crooked neck squash or, heck, even that umpteenth zucchini that you pawn off on unsuspecting neighbors or “city folk.”

It’s the same with farmers, but there’s a lot more at stake. For those men and women whose livelihood is farming and agriculture, the excitement and expectation is there every planting season, but all it takes is one ill-timed storm or prolonged drought to reduce a bountiful harvest to a washout.

At Wednesday’s ‘State of Agriculture’ luncheon hosted by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, about 100 individuals gathered at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market to champion agriculture, its importance to the area and how the community can support those local producers.

Dr. Wykia Macon, director of the Vance County Cooperative Extension, told the group that agriculture is “undeniably central to our lives,” adding that cooperative extension programs support agriculture in all its forms – from livestock and horticulture to youth programs like 4-H.

Vance County is a microcosm for the larger landscape of agriculture, she said. The loss of farms and farmland, as well as a smaller labor pool and having more farmer approaching retirement age all are factors that shape agriculture today.

She advocates an “intergenerational transfer of knowledge” and said veteran farmers have a wealth of knowledge to share with the younger generation.

But the younger farmers have something to offer, too. They are using technology tools from advanced irrigation equipment to drones to make farming more economical and sustainable. High tunnels extend the growing season, which helps producers get local produce to markets sooner.

Making farming more economical and sustainable grows more important by the day, it seems.

Macon said finding ways to embrace technology, being comfortable with trying new things and going into farming with a business mindset all serve today’s producers well.

The word “sustainable” is a trendy buzz word used in agriculture to describe farming practices that are ecologically sound.

But Jay Boyette, manager of Regulatory and State Government Relations with Farm Bureau, said sustainable applies to the business practices related to farming and agriculture.

“Farming is a lifestyle, but it’s also a business,” Boyette told the group, adding that the financial side of farming sometimes is an afterthought.

There are 238 farms in Vance County, which means that’s 238 businesses that are doing business in one form or another.

The tobacco or soybean farmer has a market for what he produces, but the small farmer also has a market, whether it’s a spot at the local farmers market or a farmstand on his or her own property.

“The Number 1 challenge is farm profitability,” Boyette said.  It’s a real challenge to make a profit, and it’s not uncommon for a farmer to have a “day job” that bankrolls his agricultural endeavors.

The second challenge is farmland preservation,“We’re losing farmland at a very high rate in our state,” he said.

So what’s a farmer to do?

Boyette has one word: Agritourism.

It’s both a blessing and a curse to be in close proximity to more urban areas like Raleigh and Durham. Farmers, in their search to add value to what they already do, are turning to agritourism.

More and more, people are looking for opportunities to experience agriculture, whether it’s to pick strawberries in the spring or get up close with farm animals and check out the daily chores associated with farm life.

Local farmer Thomas Shaw summed it up in a word: Change.

Used to be, most farmers had a cow for milk, chickens for eggs and the occasional Sunday dinner, and a few hogs in the hog pen.

“You look around, all that’s gone,” Shaw told the group. “That was the backbone of Vance County.”

Change may be inevitable, and farmers, like everybody else, make adjustments to the way they do business. That’s how agriculture remains relevant.

Chamber Honors Jim Johnson, Vance Recovery At Annual Banquet

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Each year the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Banquet serves the dual roles of bringing the membership base together as well as recognizing the outstanding contributions of a local citizen and a local business.

At Thursday evening’s event, attended by about 300 people in the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, Jim Johnson was honored as the 2024 Citizen of the Year.

As outgoing Chamber Board President Margier White shared details about the as-yet-unnamed recipient, several generations of Johnson’s family – children, grandchildren and great-grands – filed into the Civic Center and gathered along one side.

White called Johnson a “true pillar in our community,” adding that he came to Henderson in 1977 and began a 30-year career in the manufactured housing industry. In the 1990’s, Henderson was home to one of only three manufactured housing operations in the state.

Johnson was a member of the U.S. Air Force and is a decorated Vietnam veteran.

He is a graduate of East Carolina University.

Johnson has filled many roles in Hermon Methodist Church over the years and is a long-time member of the local Kiwanis club. He was Kiwanian of the Year in 2005 and has participated in all their fundraisers over the years – golf tournaments and azalea sales, among others.

He served on the board of Maria Parham Health from 1996 to 2004 and then from 2005 to 2022. He was chairman from 2011 to 2022.

His is a life “that embodies the very spirit of engagement,” White said.

His focus on family, faith and community are the key components that make Johnson such a standout.

In brief remarks following the presentation, Johnson apologized for being a little teary-eyed as he thanked the Chamber for honoring him.

“I’ve got every citizen in Vance County to thank for this award,” he said.

Duke Energy was the event’s presenting sponsor. Beth Townsend, Duke Energy’s Local Government and Community Relations Manager, announced the 2024 Small Business of the Year.

In her presentation, Townsend said this year’s Small Business of the Year – Vance Recovery – provides a crucial service to the community. Vance Recovery is a Morse Clinic in Henderson, which recently expanded and moved to West Andrews Avenue to offer opioid treatment programs in Vance County. Their methadone clinic offers Medication Assisted Therapy and counseling to help people overcome addiction to heroin and other opiates.

Henderson’s clinic is the largest of the nine Morse clinics across the state. The goal is to treat the whole person with a suite of medical and counseling services for patients with substance abuse disorders.

Program Director John Mattocks accepted the award on behalf of the clinic staff and the clinic founder, Dr. Eric Morse. Mattocks said the clinic helps roughly 400 people who are struggle with opioid use disorder.

“Our patients come to us every day and expect us to care for them,” he said, adding that the staff prides itself on providing not just medical care, but compassionate treatment as they reclaim their lives. “Anyone who walks through our door is a courageous individual,” he continued.

This year’s banquet theme,“All Aboard the Chamber Express,” embraces the idea of City and County ties to the railroad – past, present and future.

“We know that Vance County really started with the train coming through,” Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson told WIZS back in January “We’re looking forward to the train coming back,” she said, referring to the proposed S-Line passenger rail project that will ultimately connect rail service between Raleigh and Richmond. Henderson and Norlina are both proposed stops on the S-Line.

With recent federal cuts, the NCDOT this week told WIZS News, “…all USDOT discretionary grants are paused per the Feb. 26 Executive Order, and we do not know when those grants will be able to move forward. …we are moving ahead with our work as planned until we are told otherwise.”

(Original Article was post by WIZS on April 3rd, 2025)

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