Diplomat of the Year - Lacey Stivers
Lacey Stivers – Diplomat of the Year 2023
Man, oh man, what can I say about my time in Shelbyville Chamber – in short, it has been a fun ride! I originally got involved in the Chamber thinking it would be a good way to meet other business owners, but I severely underestimated the value of the experiences and relationships that were going to come my way. To say the least, I have been pleasantly surprised by the impact my involvement in the Chamber has had both in my personal life and on the professional side. I have met so many wonderful people, many of which I now call friends, and made contacts I never would have encountered without this amazing networking group. I started out just as a member then got involved with the membership committee and now, I serve on the board with some other phenomenal directors. I am already so excited about the plans we have for the next year, and I love being a part of a group that is as enthusiastic as I am!
I look forward to every email we get each Friday that lays out the upcoming events and genuinely enjoy being present at them to support other businesses and friends. I can’t say enough about the value of the Chamber and that is only growing every year! The marketing opportunities are huge for small business owners like me that need all the help we can get getting the word out about our products and services. It has also been instrumental for me when I have needed to reach out to other business industries for help with various things, both personally and professionally. This is one of the reasons I have been so excited to be a part of the growth of our local Chamber! I want more business owners to feel the benefits I have felt and build the relationships I have been able to.
Our town is so lucky to have numerous people that want to see others succeed and most of the heart of the town lies within the Chamber. I am looking forward to continuing to grow our membership and helping other people see the value I have seen in this organization. I have been a part of other Chambers and none of them hold a candle to what Shelby County’s has to offer. It’s just one more reason to be Shelby County proud!
Member of the Year - Matthew Page
2023 Member of the Year
Matthew Page – Old Kentucky Insurance
My experience with the Chamber has been great! I’ve been involved with the Chamber in some capacity since I started my career in insurance 9 years ago. I would attend the events and meet new people and grow my network. After learning more about the Chamber and seeing how being on committees helped improve their experience, I decided to join the membership committee. The membership committee primarily worked on contacting new members and welcoming them to the chamber, along with reaching out to existing members about their experience with the Chamber. As a businessman, it was a great way to expand my network and meet tons of new business owners in the community. It was also a great way to give back to the community by helping serve the businesses and the people that make Shelby County go.
After a couple of years serving on the membership committee and attending the events, I joined the board of directors and then joined the executive board for the Chamber. Over past 5 years I have served as chair for the membership committee, incoming president, President for 2 years and then a year of serving as the Past President. This impacted my experience drastically because I got to learn more about how the chamber operated and got to be part of the vision going forward to help make the chamber what it is today! I got to work firsthand with businesses wanting to come to Shelby County and help them get their roots planted in the community. I’ve met several people along the way and have grown my business from those connections. I’m thankful for the Chamber and the impact it has had on my career in this community.
Member of the Year - German American Bank
German American Bank is proud to have been named the Shelby County Chamber Member of the Year for 2023. Our partnership with the Chamber is based on a shared appreciation for building relationships and supporting our community.
Through our involvement with the Chamber, we have had the opportunity to connect with local businesses and community leaders, which would have been more challenging without such a supportive partner. The Chamber holds regular events and encourages member participation and collaboration. These events have provided us with the perfect platform to build meaningful relationships with other local businesses based on trust and shared goals for our community. The relaxed and informal atmosphere of these events has enabled us to connect and build strong and lasting relationships.
As you know, our Chamber is dedicated to fostering relationships, supporting local businesses, and promoting community enhancement. German American shares this mission to support the communities we serve and believe that when a community thrives, its people prosper.
The Chamber and its members regularly work to connect the members of the community and address their needs collaboratively. Through our Chamber membership, we have identified several opportunities to support local needs and organizations, many of which may have gone unnoticed had it not been for the connections we gained through the Chamber.