At its awards banquet on Friday night, the GlobeMiami Chamber of Commerce presented the Citizen of the Year award to Tanner Hunsaker and the Kip Culver Award to Sheldon Miller.
The presentation took place during the Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce and Pinal Mountain Foundation for Higher Education (PMFHE) Awards Dinner and Benefit Auction, held Friday, Jan. 18 at the Dream Manor Inn in Globe.
While the honorees’ identities are kept secret prior to the awards ceremony, details revealed during presentations made it clear that Miller and Hunsaker were the winners.
Globe-Miami Chamber Director Ellen Kretsch introduced Miller by saying, “I know there is one person in this room who is not going to be happy to hear his name. He never seeks the spotlight, shining it instead on the people who work with him. I knew him when, and his return to Globe-Miami has been nothing but a stroke of the purest good fortune for the entire community.”
In nominating Miller for the award, one letter writer said that he had infused new life into the Gila County Historical Society, fostering its position “as a significant contributor to the economic vitality of the community.”
“He has created an appealing destination for local individuals as well as visitors from out of the area,” Kretsch quoted.
An obviously emotional Miller hugged Kretsch and accepted the award without commenting out loud, in spite of shouts of “speech, speech,” from the audience.
The annual award is named after the late Kip Culver, former CVCA and Globe Main Street Program director.
The Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Hunsaker by Chamber President Erica Muniz who said, “While it must be very gratifying to be in a business that works to help other businesses succeed, it can also be a difficult path to follow. When your desire to see other businesses succeed is bigger and your aim is to help the community be the best it can, then you have the makings of a citizen of the year.”
Hunsaker “jumps wholeheartedly” into working on events like the Lighted Parade in downtown Globe and Halloween decorating, said Muniz, adding, “He puts on the most awesome holiday parties at his place of business.”
Muniz described it as “a long list of groups” that Hunsaker works with.
Currently serving on the Chamber’s board of directors, Hunsaker also took over as president of the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts and is “working to calm those waters after a very contentious summer,” she said.
A member of the Copper Cities Community Players, Hunsaker “in fact proposed to his bride during ‘A Coarse Acting Show,’” Muniz said. “And he finds time, somehow, to serve on the board of the Globe Downtown Association.”
For a full report, check out this week’s edition of the Arizona Silver Belt, www.silverbelt.com
