Austin, Texas (Jan. 19, 2017) The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce today announced the organization’s 2016 Volunteers of the Year who will be recognized during the 139th Annual Meeting on Feb. 10.

As volunteers, these individuals went above and beyond in supporting the Chamber’s mission both with their time and talents, and have significantly enhanced the business community’s efforts to take on the biggest challenges facing businesses in Austin.

“We are grateful to all of the wonderful local business leaders who volunteer their time and energy,” said Ellen Wood, 2017 Chair of the Austin Chamber and CEO at vcfo. “We look forward to celebrating their efforts and telling their stories of how and why they got engaged to make our region a better place to live and work. This year, we continue to offer individuals a broad range of options to get involved including more than 20 different volunteer councils and committees that take on key challenges in our region.”

The Chamber’s 2016 Volunteers of the Year include the following:

Ambassador – Mary Dawson, La Quinta Inns & Suites
Austin Gives – Michael Haynes, Capital Printing Company
Economic Development – Dr. Bruce Porter, UT Austin
Education – Mike Perrine, Capital One Bank
Federal Advocacy – Elizabeth Christian, Elizabeth Christian Public Relations
Local Advocacy – Jesus Garza, Seton Healthcare Family
Membership Engagement – Chuck Lipscomb, JE Dunn Construction and Rick Whiteley, Cushman & Wakefield
Membership Relations – Zach Davis, Merrill Lynch
Mobility – Carlos Lopez, HNTB Corporation
Partnerships & Events – Nikki Graham, Bank of America
Talent – Kathy Marshall, Blackbaud
Technology and Innovation – Hugh Forrest, SXSW

In addition to recognizing Volunteers of the Year, the Austin Chamber’s 139th Annual Meeting will honor Drs. Ken Shine and Clay Johnston as Austinite of the Year, celebrate successes of the past year, look ahead to the future, and recognize the change of leadership on the Board of Directors.

The Annual Meeting luncheon is open to the public. Register for the Austin Chamber’s 139th Annual Meeting here.

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About the Austin Chamber
The mission of the Austin Chamber of Commerce is to provide leadership that facilitates the creation of a prosperous regional economy and effective advocacy for its 2,800+ members. For more information about the Austin Chamber of Commerce visit AustinChamber.com.

Media Inquiries:
Luke Sheffield, Public Relations Manager
Austin Chamber of Commerce
512.322.5637
lsheffield@austinchamber.com