Dexter’s Service & Collision, Dean Bauer, Ron Orris and The Era will be receiving awards from the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce April 21 at the annual meeting and awards presentation.
Dexter’s has been selected as the 2016 exemplary business; Bauer will be honored with the 2016 community and spirit award; Orris has been selected to receive the director’s award; and The Era will be the first recipient of the legacy award.
The exemplary business award is given to a for-profit business that demonstrates a well-planned, commendable and thorough approach to business development. They must also exemplify the unique “hometown” charm of Bradford in their manner of administration, customer service and quality of product or service.
The nomination for Dexter’s Service & Collision stated, in part, “They began small, with one employee, but through hard work, determination and a commitment to the Bradford community, Dexter’s has become a great example of a successful small business.”
Dexter’s Service & Collision has been owned and operated by Al Dexter since 1984. The business boasts a complete in house repair service, with ten employees, including a collision manager, a service writer/manager, five employees in collision, two mechanics and one person who is learning all aspects the trade.
The 2016 community & spirit award will be presented to Dean Bauer. The award is given to an individual or organization that has made a significant, positive impact in the Bradford area through volunteer, civic, religious, cultural and/or business activities.
Bauer has been a longstanding volunteer in the community since he moved to Bradford in 1972. He has been a member of the Kiwanis club for 44 years and served as past president. He still serves as the president of the Bradford Kiwanis Housing Corp., a position he has held for 25 years. He has been involved in the annual Kiwanis Kapers and serves on the Kiwanis Tree Farm Committee, raising funds from timber sales for the Bradford hospital. Upon retirement from the financial field 18 years ago, Bauer committed himself to volunteering.
Bauer lives with his wife Jean in Bradford, has one daughter and one son, two granddaughters and one great-grandson.
Chamber Executive Director Kara Kennedy announced Orris has been selected as the 2016 recipient of the directors’ award, designed to be chosen by the board of directors and awarded to an individual or organization who has earned special recognition. The award is presented only in those years where a nominee has achieved superior philanthropic status in volunteering, participating and promoting community events as well as engaging the community.
Orris is the first to proclaim he loves his hometown of Bradford. He recently accepted a position as executive director of the Blaisdell Foundation after heading up the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce since 2010. During his tenure at the chamber, Orris led the chamber in its adoption of social media and was a strong proponent for blogging as a way to reach an audience. Under his leadership, chamber membership increased 40 percent in two years. He currently is the chairman of the board for the Bradford City Water Authority, past chairman of Futures Rehabilitation Corp., past president of Leadership McKean and served on the board of the Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corp. He is on the board of directors for the Friendship Table, Bradford Hospital Foundation, the University of Pittsburgh Advisory Board and The Endowment Board for the YWCA. Orris is also the elected city controller of the City of Bradford, a position he has held for 20 years. He was a store manager for Walmart, a position he values as teaching him a lot about customer service.
Orris has lived in Bradford since 1962. He resides with his wife, Terri and the couple has 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
The legacy award will be presented, for the first time this year, to a business that has a longstanding tradition in the community. The Bradford Era is the first thing many members of the local community, as well as outlying areas, seek out first thing in the morning. In addition, the online version connects and informs people across the country with their roots in McKean County. The Bradford Era delivered its first edition to the streets of Bradford on October 29, 1877. This year, 2016, marks its 138th year of chronicling the events that have shaped the community as well as the state and nation. The Era is one of the oldest businesses in the region which continues to serve the Bradford area and the four-county (McKean, Elk, Potter and Cameron) region in Pennsylvania.
The newspaper is a reflection of the community it serves and is shaped by the community’s need for news and information.
The 2016 BACC annual meeting and awards presentation will be held on April 21 at the Pennhills Club. The social hour starts at 6 p.m., followed by the awards presentation at 7 p.m.
“Our awards this year celebrate those businesses and volunteers who are the foundation of our community and operate with great dedication, often under the radar,” Kennedy stated. “There is a theme of humility in this group of honorees; they are not ones to seek great accolades for their good works. We expect to see them at community events, supporting fundraising and benefits for our citizens and encouraging all of us to become more engaged. We hope that our members and the community will join us in celebrating these unsung heroes.”
The evening will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres, desserts, refreshments and a cash bar. All BACC members, their employees, and their guests, are invited to attend. For tickets and sponsorship information, contact the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce at 814-368-7115.
