St Croix honors business stars
Business and professionals receive recognition
virginvoices.com staff
Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, John P. de Jongh, Jr. joined St. Croix's business leaders in presenting business and professional excellence awards at the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce's 2011 Awards Gala at St. George Village Botanical Gardens.
The governor acknowledged 2011 has been a difficult year for businesses. But he added the past year was also a year when "we began to look at things a lot differently and initiated positive changes”.
In the tough economic times, he said progress was made in bringing new airline routes to the territory, launching three resort projects and laying a foundation for more cruise ship calls to St. Croix.
Governor de Jongh, who served as president of the St. Thomas and St. John Chamber of Commerce for three years, warned business leaders that they may not agree with some of the decisions he will make in the coming weeks and months. But he said his policies involving gross receipts taxes and other revenue measures are being made with a long-term view of the territory's needs. Despite any disagreements, de Jongh said the future of the territory "rests in the hands of the businesses because we don't just make money and spend it, we also invest it.”
The governor congratulated the following companies and businesspeople who were honored at the gala.
2011 Business of the Year—Innovative Companies and Quality Electric Supply
Small Business of the Year—Geographic Consulting
New Business of the Year –The Bistro in Gallows Bay
2011 Professional Businessman of the Year –Aston Wayne Harty, president of Inter Ocean Insurance Agency.
2011 Professional Businesswoman of the Year: Simone Palmer, co-owner of The Beachside Cafe in Frederiksted.
2011 Non-profit of the year—St. George Village Botanical Gardens.
2011 Lifetime Achievement Award—Ruby Fleming, wife of former Chief Minister of Antigua Osbourne Fleming and co-founder Fleming's Transport on St. Croix.
Photo: Scot McChain, president of St. Croix Chamber of Commerce , Karl Bauknight, president Quality Electric Supply and Kimberly McCollum, vice president of sales & marketing Quality Electric Supply. Quality Electric Supply's was named St. Croix's 2011 " Business of the Year". Photo courtesy St. Croix Chamber of Commerce.
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