The West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s A.O. Evans and Entrepreneurial Success Awards.
Both awards were presented at the Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Banquet on Tuesday, December 5 at the West Monroe Convention Center.
Jean Halsell, a former educator at West Monroe High School, was named the recipient of the 2018 A.O. Evans Award.
The A.O. Evans Award recognizes one individual in the area each year for outstanding contributions to the West Monroe and West Ouachita area. The A.O. Evans Award was first presented in 1976 to Mr. A.T. Mitchell. When considering a name for the new award, the Chamber Board decided to name it in honor of the founder of the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce – A.O. Evans.
The person cannot be an elected official who currently holds office nor can they be on the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber Board of Directors. This person must have made several contributions to the betterment of the community.
The Annual Entrepreneurial Success Award was presented to J.E. Dupuy Flooring & Acoustical, Inc. of Monroe.
The Entrepreneurial Success Award honors a current WMWO Chamber business or individual member that exemplifies the true entrepreneurial spirit in three areas – employees, management style and entrepreneurial spirit. An announcement was made at the WMWO Chamber Banquet officially naming the award the Johnny Huntsman Entrepreneurial Success Award in honor of Johnny’s Pizza founder Mr. Johnny Huntsman. Mr. Huntsman, a true entrepreneur, founded Johnny’s Pizza 50 years ago in 1967. He passed away earlier this year.
Other awards presented at the WMWO Chamber of Commerce Banquet included Diplomat of the Year, which was presented to Jay Mulhern of Express Employment Professionals. The Chamber of Commerce also honored four Public Safety Officers of the Year. Those winners were City of West Monroe Police Officer – Cpl. Marcus Yarbrough; City of West Monroe Firefighter – Operator Destin Burnett; Ouachita Parish Firefighter of the Year - Captain Jason McMillon and Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Deputy of the Year – Cpl. Craig Meredith.
For more information about the WMWO Chamber of Commerce, please call (318) 325-1961 or visit
www.westmonroechamber.org.