Page 13 - Montcross Area Chamber NCG

CHAMBER AWARD WINNERS

Montcross Area

Chamber of Commerce
64th Annual

Celebration:

Award Recipients

A glass-ceiling-shattering marketing,

branding and public relations business,
a technology entrepreneur and a couple
who have dedicated their lives to saving the
lives of others were honored by the Montcross
Area Chamber of Commerce at its 64th Annual
Celebration in March 2024.
The Chamber annually presents a Business of
the Year Award, an EPIC Award to an outstanding
entrepreneur and the Harley B. Gaston, Jr.
Public Service Award to recognize extraordinary
community service, an award named for an
attorney and judge who was a founder of the
Chamber in 1960.
The Business of the Year Award was awarded
to Lyerly Agency, sisters Elaine and Melia Lyerly
of Cramerton, Charlotte’s first female-owned
advertising, marketing, branding and public
relations agency when it launched as Eve
Communication Services in 1977.
The EPIC Award is presented annually to
recognize one who is Entrepreneurial, Progressive,
Innovative and Collaborative, and it went to Marc R.
Burns of Techtheon, which provides IT support and
management for businesses from one employee to
hundreds. Marc’s commitment to entrepreneurship
includes helping others become entrepreneurs
and working to create an environment in which
entrepreneurs can thrive.
The Harley B. Gaston, Jr. Public Service Award
recipients were Tammy and Nazrul Chowdhury of
Cramerton, who lost their 24-year-old son, Austin, to an
accidental overdose of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in
2017. Since that tragedy, they have worked tirelessly
to prevent other young people and adults from dying in
the same way, through their nonprofit, Remembering
Austin, through their website, and through numerous
public speaking engagements where they tell Austin’s
story to as many people as possible.

Photos, Top Business of the Year winners Elaine
and Melia Lyerly. Inset, EPIC Award winner, Marc R.
Burns. Bottom, Harley B Gaston, Jr. Public Service
Award winners, Nazrul and Tammy Chowdhury.

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