The Times is honored with Business of the Year Award from the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce.
By JENNIFER LIBERTO
Published May 31, 2003
SPRING HILL - The Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce recognized seven businesses and community leaders at its annual awards banquet Friday night at Silverthorn Country Club, which drew more than 200 people.
The St. Petersburg Times won the Business of the Year Award.
The Times has been covering news in Hernando County for 35 years and opened a new $6-million office building on State Road 50 near the Suncoast Parkway in February.
The company has sponsored many community events over the years, said Maria Kretschmar, a member of the chamber's public relations committee, which chooses the winners.
"As a business, they've really been quite generous in their financial support of the community," said Kretschmar, who owns Visual Spectrum, an advertising agency in Spring Hill.
The Alfred A. McKethan Citizen of the Year Award went to Barbara Manuel of radio station WWJB-AM 1450. Manuel, a retired chorus teacher at Hernando High School, is head of the Hernando County Fine Arts Council.
"Barbara has contributed tremendously to the cultural development of our community, and we felt this was an award long overdue," Kretschmar said.
The Community Service Award went to Hernando-Pasco Hospice, in recognition of the number of families the agency has served, Kretschmar said.
The chamber this year gave two awards for Small Business of the Year.
The award for a business with fewer than 10 employees went to Brooksville Cardiology; the award for a business with 11 to 50 employees went to Summit Imaging. Both were recognized for their involvement in the community and sponsorship of events.
The Government Service Award went to Rick Foti of Hernando County Government Broadcasting.
The Chamber Service Award was given to Diana Sanders of Spherion, a staffing agency.
- Jennifer Liberto covers business and development in Hernando County. She can be reached at 848-1434 or liberto@sptimes.com
