Chamber has annual awards banquet

  • OmniCare 365 was named the Large Business of the Year during the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet last Friday. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat
    OmniCare 365 was named the Large Business of the Year during the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet last Friday. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat
  • The Choctaw Cultural Center was awarded the Small Business of the Year during the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet last Friday.
    The Choctaw Cultural Center was awarded the Small Business of the Year during the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet last Friday.
  • CMC Steel received a Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet Award for employing and supporting veterans in the community. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat
    CMC Steel received a Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet Award for employing and supporting veterans in the community. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat
  • First Texoma National Bank received a Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet Award for serving the Texoma region for 125 years.
    First Texoma National Bank received a Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet Award for serving the Texoma region for 125 years.
  • Susan Edelen was inducted into the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame and she is shown with Chamber President Rob Piearcy, left, past President Scott Dewald and Chamber Executive Director Janet Reed.
    Susan Edelen was inducted into the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame and she is shown with Chamber President Rob Piearcy, left, past President Scott Dewald and Chamber Executive Director Janet Reed.
  • Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Volunteers of the Year are Kat Voorhees and Cheyhoma Dugger. Also shown are chamber past President Scott Dewald, chamber Executive Director Janet Reed and Chamber President Rob Piearcy.
    Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Volunteers of the Year are Kat Voorhees and Cheyhoma Dugger. Also shown are chamber past President Scott Dewald, chamber Executive Director Janet Reed and Chamber President Rob Piearcy.
  • Dana Chapman received the Best Individual Costume Award during the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet that had an eclipse/space theme. Also shown are outgoing Chamber President Scott Dewald, Chamber President Rob Piearcy, Chamber Director Janet Reed and Amy Cook, chamber board member.
    Dana Chapman received the Best Individual Costume Award during the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet that had an eclipse/space theme. Also shown are outgoing Chamber President Scott Dewald, Chamber President Rob Piearcy, Chamber Director Janet Reed and Amy Cook, chamber board member.
  • Cardinal Glass, who portrayed “Men in Black,” received the Best Theme Award during the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet.
    Cardinal Glass, who portrayed “Men in Black,” received the Best Theme Award during the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet.
  • Blake Wright received the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Dean Samuel Spirit Award during the chamber banquet last Friday. Also shown are outgoing Chamber President Scott Dewald, Chamber President Rob Piearcy and Chamber Executive Director Janet Reed.
    Blake Wright received the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Dean Samuel Spirit Award during the chamber banquet last Friday. Also shown are outgoing Chamber President Scott Dewald, Chamber President Rob Piearcy and Chamber Executive Director Janet Reed.
  • Incoming Chamber President Rob Piearcy, left, and outgoing Chamber President Scott Dewald speak at the chamber banquet last Friday.
    Incoming Chamber President Rob Piearcy, left, and outgoing Chamber President Scott Dewald speak at the chamber banquet last Friday.
  • Scott Dewald reacts after it was announced he is being inducted into the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. He is shown with Chamber Director Janet Reed.
    Scott Dewald reacts after it was announced he is being inducted into the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. He is shown with Chamber Director Janet Reed.

The Durant Area Chamber of Commerce had its annual awards banquet April 5 at Lost Street Brewing Co. and multiple awards were presented.

The theme was, “Out of This World Solar Eclipse.”

OmniCare 365, that provides outsourced customer service solutions, was named the Large Business of the Year and the Choctaw Cultural Center was awarded small business of the year.

Volunteers of the Year are Cheyhoma Dugger and Kat Voorhees.

Susan Edelen and Scott Dewald were inducted into the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. Blake Wright received the Dean Samuel Spirit Award.

CMC Steel was presented an award in appreciation of the dedication of the company to employ and support veterans throughout the community.

An award was presented to First Texoma National Bank for its 125 years of service to the community. FTNB was the first charted bank in Durant.

Dana Chapman received the Best Individual Costume Award and Best Theme was by Cardinal Glass who depicted “Men in Black.”

Scott Dewald, outgoing chamber president, passed the gavel to incoming president Rob Piearcy.

Dewald thanked those he served with during his presidency and he also spoke of the number of people who visited Durant last year.

“We brought more people into Durant last year to pay sales tax than had ever been here before with our free concert series and everything else, Magnolia Fest and such. I’m telling you folks, if people will come from out of town and pay their tax dollars here and stay here to improve our city, that’s incredible.”

Piearcy spoke of the road shows the chamber traveled across the nation promoting Durant and also the growth in the region which is great for the city.

“It’s a great time for Durant, Oklahoma, it’s a great time for Bryan County,” Piearcy said.

Southeastern President Thomas Newsom spoke of the former Plaza movie theater in downtown Durant that currently houses the District Attorney’s Office.

The Plaza, owned by Bryan County, is being donated to Southeastern Oklahoma State University which the university plans to use for downtown events. The D.A.’s Office will be moving into the Courthouse Annex and a new building for county offices is going to be constructed at Fifth and Beech. County offices may temporarily move into the Boys & Girls Club until the new building is completed.

Newsom spoke of the plans for the Plaza and its history. The Plaza opened on July 3, 1936, and was in business until Jan. 6, 1991, and the final showing was “Rocky V.”

Miller Davidge and wife Ethel, who live in Denton, Texas, were in attendance and the Plaza was built and operated by Mr. Davidge’s father, T. Miller Davidge.

“Working together, the Bryan County Commissioners, the City of Durant, the great Choctaw Nation, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, the Durant Chamber of Commerce, the Boys & Girls Club of Red River Valley and Imagine Durant have developed a downtown project that we believe has the ability to transform our downtown like we have seen recently in neighboring cities,” Newsom said.

The Plaza will be renovated and turned into a multi-purpose venue that hosts concerts, corporate events, weddings and theater productions.

“This historic building will become the cornerstone of downtown Durant, revitalizing the heart of our city, driving commerce, investment and revenue to fund infrastructure needs and community enhancements that have been a regular focus of our collective conversations for years,” Newsom said.