Chamber holds Starlight Business Awards dinner, inducts new board

New Board Chair Heather Dunagin accepts the Gavel of authority from outgoing Chair Kirby Sanford.

GREENSPOINT – A dining room decorated with table settings and candelight was the attractive setting for the annual Starlight Business Awards of the Houston Intercontinental Chamber.

The event was held last Thursday evening, at the Hilton Hotel Greenspoint, with about 150 chamber members and business persons attending. The title sponsor was Noble Energy, with 14 additional corporate sponsors.

After opening remarks, Chamber president Reggie Gray gave an annual report of chamber activities, accomplishments, and goals for the coming year.He reported that there were 600 company members, and 3000 social members in the chamber. His report on activities relied heavily on corporate partnerships and foreign contacts that have developed.

After the report, the new board members were sworn into office by president Heather Dunagin. The board has 34 business representatives, of which 15 were present for the ceremony.

Next, individual awards were made to companies in various categories. These awards are as follows:

— Small Business Award, EFG Insurance, Henry Vogel

— Company of the Year, Sysco, Scott Kliever

— Corporation of the Year, Reliant Energy, Sidney Evans

— Volunteer Award, Amber Welchel, Amegy Bank

— Ambassador Award, Cathy McNair, Reliant Energy

— John Zizelmann Humanitarian Award, Ken Fisher, Noble Energy

— Corporate Partner, HBC, Alejandro del Valle

— Citizen of the Year, Kirby Sanford, Comerica Bank

— Pinnacle Award, special friends of the Chamber, went to Sidney Evans, Bill Pilkington, Autumn Knight, and Bill Wilson.

Special Lifetime Achievement Awards went to the following:

— Richard Cole, a representative for AT&T for 39 years, and a board member

— Gary & Heather Montgomery. Gary is a civil engineer with Jones & Carter, and responsible for many projects in North Houston. Heather is a past president of the Chamber, and active in the United Way

— James Curry, an engineer and property manager for Hines Development in the Greenspoint District since 1983. For 15 years he was chairman of the Greenspoint District

— Ben Wilson, an Assistant Superintendent with Aldine ISD