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.
The 2022 A+ Awards Honoring...
United Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region – Legacy Award
Angelina Ramirez, Stavros Center for Independent Living – Lifetime Achievement Award
Joshua Rousseau, Amherst Intelligent Security – Leader in Innovation Award
Taylor Robbins, UMassFive College Credit Union – Young Professional Award
Kyle Dumas, Greenfield Savings Bank – Chamber MVP Award
Sean Barry, Four Seasons Wines & Liquors – Community Service Award
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 AmherstÂ
- Leader in Innovation - Elly Vaughan, Phoenix Fruit FarmÂ
- 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 MVPÂ - 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 MeadowsÂ
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.
