The 2024 Chairman's Award: Recognizing Excellence in the Greater Statesville Community

In a landmark moment for the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, Board Chair Charles Ashe established the inaugural "Chairman's Award" to recognize organizations that have made exceptional contributions across the chamber's core focus areas. This prestigious honor celebrates businesses that have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to advancing Business, Leadership Development, Education & Talent, and Community & Advocacy initiatives in the Statesville region.

Setting a New Standard for Recognition

The 2024 Chairman's Award represents a significant milestone in the chamber's history - establishing a tradition of honoring organizations whose impact extends beyond financial success to encompass comprehensive community advancement. This year's recipients exemplify how business excellence and community stewardship can work hand-in-hand to create sustainable prosperity.

"This year Chamber leadership made the decision to add a special award to our recognition list. The recipient(s) of this award exemplify excellence across our chamber’s focus areas and are true leaders in corporate citizenship,"  explained Charles Ashe. "Denso, Iredell Health System, and Piedmont HealthCare help to weave the fabric of our great community with all they offer in business, leadership development, education and Talent, and Community & Advocacy. It was my pleasure to recognize these businesses for all they are doing to help drive our community forward."

"These distinguished businesses have strengthened our business community through innovative practices and economic investment, advanced education and talent development by creating robust workforce pipelines and training programs, demonstrated outstanding leadership development by mentoring future community leaders, and championed community advocacy initiatives that address critical local needs."

The Distinguished Recipients

Denso

As a major employer in the region, Denso has consistently demonstrated how manufacturing excellence can drive community prosperity. Their substantial economic investments have strengthened the local business ecosystem while creating quality employment opportunities.

Denso stands out for its innovative workforce development programs, which have created robust talent pipelines and advanced manufacturing training initiatives. Through strategic partnerships with local schools and technical colleges, they have developed specialized curricula that align educational outcomes with industry needs.

The company's leadership has championed manufacturing careers, actively participating in workforce development programs and advocating for policies that support manufacturing excellence. Their community engagement extends to supporting STEM education initiatives, ensuring that young people understand the exciting career opportunities available in today’s manufacturing.

Iredell Health System

Iredell Health System has established itself as not just a premier healthcare provider but also as a cornerstone of community development. Their business practices have consistently prioritized both organizational excellence and community benefit.

The health system has been particularly impactful in addressing the healthcare workforce shortage through innovative recruitment, retention, and development programs. Their partnerships with educational institutions have created clear pathways for healthcare careers, from entry-level positions to advanced specialties.

Iredell Health System's leadership has been at the forefront of advocating for rural healthcare access and developing programs that address critical community health needs. Their collaborative approach with government agencies, nonprofits, and other stakeholders has created holistic solutions to complex community challenges.

Piedmont HealthCare

Piedmont HealthCare has consistently demonstrated a remarkable commitment to both healthcare excellence and community development. Their innovative approaches to healthcare delivery have not only strengthened the local business landscape but have also created numerous opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

The organization has been instrumental in developing healthcare talent pipelines through partnerships with local educational institutions, offering internships, mentorships, and specialized training programs that prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals. These initiatives address critical workforce needs while providing valuable career opportunities for local residents.

Piedmont's leadership has been particularly proactive in community advocacy, working to improve healthcare access and addressing social determinants of health that impact the broader community's wellbeing. Their comprehensive approach to corporate citizenship has created ripple effects throughout the region.

Three Exceptional Organizations Unite to create Business Success and Community Prosperity

What unites these three exceptional organizations is their understanding that business success and community prosperity are inseparable. Each has adopted a multifaceted approach to corporate citizenship that spans all four of the chamber's priority areas:

1. Business Excellence: All three recipients have demonstrated innovative business practices and substantial economic investment that strengthen the entire business community.

2. Leadership Development: Each organization has committed to developing future leaders, both within their organizations and in the broader community, ensuring sustainable leadership succession.

3. Education & Talent: Through strategic partnerships with educational institutions, these organizations have created robust talent pipelines and specialized training programs that align workforce development with economic needs.

4. Community & Advocacy: All three recipients have championed policy initiatives and community programs that address critical regional needs and create opportunities for growth.

Setting the Standard for Corporate Citizenship

Through their exemplary efforts, Denso, Iredell Health System, and Piedmont HealthCare have established a new benchmark for how businesses can contribute to community prosperity. Their collaborative partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and government agencies have created interconnected systems that support professional growth while addressing fundamental community needs.

By recognizing these organizations with the Chairman's Award, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce not only celebrates their accomplishments but also highlights the transformative potential when businesses fully embrace their role as community stewards.

As the chamber looks to the future, these inaugural recipients will serve as powerful examples of how organizations can align business success with community impact, creating lasting prosperity that benefits everyone in the Greater Statesville region.