A+ Awards Dinner
Each year the Chamber bestows A+ Awards to individuals and organizations that enrich the life of the community through their work in education, business, and civic engagement across the area that the Chamber serves (Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, and Sunderland) and the valley as a whole.
Join us for a celebratory dinner!
November 18, 2025 | 5 - 8 PM
UMass Student Union Ballroom
Announcing the 2025 A+ Awardees!
Young Professional Award: Alyssa Petrides, Nature & Nurture Preschool
Community Service Award: Sarah Maroney, Belchertown Creative Economy Committee
Leader in Sustainability Award: Weston Dripps, Amherst College
Chamber MVP Award: Robert Allingham, Amherst Business Improvement District
Legacy Award: Clare Higgins, Community Action Pioneer Valley
Lifetime Achievement Award: Tullio Inglese, TIA Architects
Thank You To Our Sponsors!
The A+ Awards
Legacy Award recognizes an individual/business for their outstanding contributions to the Amherst area over their career and the lasting impact their work will have on future generations.
Leader in Innovation Award recognizes entrepreneurs who craft creative solutions and redefine the way the Amherst area lives, works, and learns.
Leader in Sustainability Award recognizes a business, organization, or individual for their contribution to creating a sustainable Amherst area, preserving and ensuring its vitality for future generations.
Young Professional Award honors a young professional who has a positive presence in and has made a significant impact in the Amherst area.
Community Service Award honors a business, non-profit, or individual which has benefited the lives of the Amherst area community through their work and outreach.
Chamber MVP is an individual who truly embodies the mission of the Amherst Area Chamber as a convener, connector, and catalyst for business and community development.
2024
The Awardees
Young Professional Award: Kayla Sheridan, TommyCar Auto Group
Community Service Award: Seiha Krouch, Amherst Regional Public Schools
Leader In Innovation Award: Feel Good Shop Local
Chamber MVP Award: Georgia Moore, Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Harvesting Excellence Award: Claudia Pazmany, MLK Jr. Family Services
Legacy / Lifetime Achievement Award: Colleen Kelley, Hitchcock Center For The Environment
2023
The Awardees
Lifetime Achievement Award: Kent Faerber of Amherst
Leader in Innovation: Dr. Khama Ennis, M.D. MPH, Intentional Health, LLC
Leader in Sustainability: Barstow’s Longview Farm
Young Professional: Olivia Feal, Mead Art Museum at Amherst College
Chamber MVP: Joan Dahl-Lussier, Homewood Suites/Pioneer Valley Hotel Group
Rooted in Community Award: J&J Farms
2022
The Awardees
Lifetime Achievement Award: Angelina Ramirez, Stavros Center for Independent Living
Legacy Award: United Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region
Leader in Innovation: Joshua Rousseau, Amherst Intelligent Security
Young Professional: Taylor Robbins, UMassFive College Federal Credit Union
Chamber MVP: Kyle Dumas, Greenfield Savings Bank
Community Service Award: Sean Barry, Four Seasons Wine & Liquor
2021
2020
While COVID-19 prevented us from gathering together in-person in 2020, our Annual A+ Awards program persisted, with the "2020 A+ Awards Show" broadcast live from was held at Hadley Farms Meeting House on November 12, 2020.
The Awardees
- Lifetime Achievement Award - Betsy McInnis, CHD's Family Outreach of Amherst
- Leader in Innovation - Elly Vaughan, Phoenix Fruit Farm
- Leader in Sustainability - Kristin DeBoer, Kestrel Land Trust on behalf of the organization.
- Young Professional - Ash Crawford, Amherst Coffee (AMCO) & Quivr
- Community Service - Peter & Michelle Wirth, Mercedes-Benz of Springfield
- Chamber MVP - Lisa Eugin, Encharter Insurance
2019
In 2019, our Annual A+ Awards Dinner: Thursday, October 3, 2019 was held at Hadley Farms Meeting House.
The Awardees
- Lifetime Achievement Award - Parmar Family, Pioneer Valley Hotel Group
- Leader in Innovation - Amherst Innovative Living
- Leader in Sustainability - Laura Draucker, Director of Sustainability, Amherst College
- Young Professional - Carolyn Forcade, Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship at UMass Amherst, The Travel Unicorn
- Community Service - Lisa Solowiej and Jocelyn Potter, Neighborhood Food Project, Amherst Survival Center
- Chamber MVP - Jessye Deane, Community Action Pioneer Valley & F45 Training Hampshire Meadows
Read about our awardees and their accomplishments in our Award Announcement.
View the photo album of the 250+ community members gathered captured by Michael Zide Photography.
2018
On Thursday, October 4, 2018 in the Student Union Ballroom at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, we honored:
- Lifetime Achievement - Former Congressman John Olver
- Community Service - Catalina Arrubla, Multi-Arts Camps for Children & David C. Dann, Village Neighbors
- Economic Vitality - Amherst Cinema
- Young Professional - Jen Loebel Strong, CHD’s Big Brothers Big Sisters Hampshire County
- Chamber MVP - Kim Alli, Greenfield Savings Bank
View a full photo album of the 220 guests who gathered to celebrate business and community.
