SYLACAUGA — For 99 years Blue Bell Creameries has been making ice cream, first in Texas and since 1996 in the Marble City.The company was named the Edward Gantt Industry of the Year by the Sylacauga Chamber of Commerce at the 65th annual banquet Thursday at J. Craig Smith Community Center.
The two other industries nominated for the honor were Southern Electrical Contractors Inc. and American Plant Services.
A number of other awards were also presented during the meeting, including the Rod Emlich Outstanding New Business Award, George W. Carr Outstanding Established Business Award, Best Friend Award, Nanellen Lane Citizen of the Year Award and Police Officer and Firefighter of the Year.
The nominees for Industry of the Year are chosen based on contributing the most through business development and community involvement.
Joe Richardson, executive director of the chamber, made the presentation to Blue Bell. Accepting the award was Kevin Wood, plant manager.
Blue Bell Creameries came to Sylacauga in May 1996. In the past 10 years, the industry has had three major expansions at the facility located on North Norton Avenue, including a current $4.5 million automated storage and retrieval cold storage high-rise structure scheduled to go online in 2007.
The industry employs more than 200. Richardson said Blue Bell has been a strong community leader, taking part in many civic activities.
These activities include, among others, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Partners for Parks and the Arc ArtPartners Program.
With donations to groups such as the Boy’s Club, Sylacauga Parks and Recreation Department, Arc, Outback, Sylacauga City and Talladega County Schools, Blue Bell continues to support local charities and the economy, Richardson said.
The industry is the largest tourist attraction in Sylacauga, bringing in more than 20,000 visitors each year to the area to view the “best ice cream in the country” being produced, packaged and distributed to 15 states.
Blue Bell is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2007 and just recently donated $50,000 for the new park pavilion in downtown Sylacauga. Groundbreaking for the park and pavilion is scheduled for early November with the pavilion to open by April 2007 for Blue Bell’s anniversary celebration.
Wood thanked everyone especially Blue Bell’s employees.
“When I first came to Sylacauga from Texas, the people who came here always mentioned the quality of people in this community. The Kruse family is in its third generation of operating Blue Bell. We are celebrating 100 years in 2007 and we look forward to the next 100 years in Sylacauga,” he said.
Coosa Valley Medical Center received the George W. Carr Outstanding Business Award. This award goes to a business that has been established for more than five years. The award is based on those contributing the most through business development and community involvement.
Chamber Vice President Mike Ivey made the presentation and Glenn Sisk, president and CEO of CVMC accepted the award on behalf of the hospital.
The hospital first opened its doors April 1, 1945, as Sylacauga Hospital. It holds the distinction of being the only non-military hospital built in the United States during World War II.
As the city continued to grow, so did the hospital, Ivey said. Three major additions were made to the original facility between 1963 and 1980. As its service started to expand, the hospital changed its name to Coosa Valley Medical Center.
In 1995, the facility was purchased by Baptist Health System, but returned to local ownership in 2004.
The hospital will come full circle in spring 2007, 62 years later, as a new hospital opens its doors complete with modern amenities, such as 86 new inpatient rooms, 10 ICU beds, a new Women’s Center, state-of-the-art imaging center and a new cafeteria and food service center offering both indoor and outdoor dining.
The hospital, Ivey said, is going to offer the most modern advances in healthcare such as a 64-slice CT Scan, sleep lab center and digital mammography.
Sisk said the hospital has 50 active staff physicians, 580 employees, 50 auxiliary members and seven local hospital board members.
Since the local change two years ago, Sisk said the hospital has been moving full speed ahead to bring better healthcare to the community.
“We will have the best equipment the world has to offer for our patients. We hope to have an open house April 1, 2007, 62 years after the hospital first opened. We will be the newest hospital open at least that day in the world,” he said.
The other nominees for this award were SouthFirst Bank and Atkinson Real Estate.
The recipient of this year’s Rod Emlich Outstanding New Business Award is Marble City Grill.
Carol Emlich-Bates made the presentation to grill owners, Alan Sanders and Julie Smith.
The grill opened in 2005. Since that time, their restaurant, Emlich-Bates said, has played a vital role in the community, offering metropolitan cuisine in downtown. The husband and wife are active in many civic and charitable events, such as organizing this year’s Shrimp Boil and Block Party to benefit Sylacauga Little League. Both are active in the chamber’s Retail Committee as well as other organizations.
Emlich-Bates said, “Marble City Grill continually strives to meet the demands of our growing community and offers its customers a beautiful and unique atmosphere in which to dine, host a party or plan an event or business meeting.”
Smith in accepting the award said, “We started last year and have received so much support from the community, thank you.”
The Policeman and Firefighter of the Year presentation was made by Police Chief Louis Zook.
Firefighter of the Year is Lt. Chuck Baker and Policeman of the Year is Sgt. Donnie Landers.
The Nanellen Lane Citizen of the Year is Coach Harold Brooks. The Rev. Charles Sims presented the award on behalf of the Sylacauga Beautification Council. This is the second year the award was presented in honor of the late civic leader Nanellen Lane.
Brooks has been the director of the Sylacauga Boys Club since 1971. Sims described him as a “versatile” individual who invests himself in the community on behalf of boys with joy and gratitude.
Brooks was caught by surprise and thanked everyone for supporting the Boys Club.
“Thank you for all you’ve done in this community for helping us reach kids that need reaching,” Brooks said.
The Best Friend Award was given to the Sylacauga Parks and Recreation Department and its employees.
Jim Armstrong, director of the department recognized his employees for the job they do in the community.
Entertainment was provided by Bryan Underwood thanks to the Sylacauga Arts Council. Underwood, a Virginia native, studied at the world renowned Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, The Met, Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall.
Richardson spoke briefly about the chamber’s successes in 2006 and said the board and staff stand ready to assist members in any way possible.
The dinner was catered by Diane House. The Rev. Henry Looney of Reaching the World Bible Church and councilman did the invocation. The pledge and presentation of colors was done by local Boy Scouts.
Following the entertainment, Sylacauga’s version of “Deal or No Deal” was hosted by Ralph Stacey, president of the state’s Chamber of Commerce.
