On Saturday, October 9, the Howard County Chamber hosted its 16th Annual Signature Event and Awards Gala at Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City. Over 200 attendees gathered – for many, the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic – to network, eat, dance, and honor the night’s awardees.
Each fall, the Chamber Signature Event is one of Howard County’s premier annual events, as hundreds of businesses, community, and political leaders attend this can’t-miss gala.
Although the pandemic forced last year’s event to be held virtually, this year’s “Roaring into the ’20s” Signature Event boasted a terrific crowd, live jazz quintet, carving stations, digital photo booth, and even a costume contest. Many of the night’s guests came in their 1920’s best, with flapper dresses and pin-stripe suits to match.
Click here to view the 2021 Signature Event Gallery.
Amidst the various entertainment options, the highlight of the night was the ACE Awards presentation. Each year, the ACE Awards allow the Chamber to highlight key businesses and individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to their field, have achieved extraordinary success, or have improved the Howard County business community in general.
We thank all of the night’s guests for spending the evening with us, and if you couldn’t make it, we hope to see you next year!
ACE Award Winners
Young Professional of the Year: Nicholas Barrick, P.E., LEED AP, Vice President – Site/Civil & Wireless – KCI Technologies
GovConnects Advocate of the Year: Gina Abate, CEO – Edwards Performance Solutions
Ambassador of the Year: Angela Balsamo, Publisher – Coffee News Maryland
Community Impact: Feed Howard County
Small Business of the Year: The Vertical Connection
Large Business of the Year: M&T Bank
Entrepreneurs of the Year: Dan & Donna Wecker, Owners – The Elkridge Furnace Inn
Businessperson of the Year: Zack Shariff, CEO – Allen & Shariff Corporation
Exemplar: Dr. Kathleen Hetherington, President – Howard Community College