Leeds chamber of commerce hosts luncheon, recognizes community, business leaders
Published 5:11 am Thursday, January 2, 2025
Tiffiany Abel Ward of Millennial Bank is presented the Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce Civic Award. Courtesy Photo
The 2024 Non-Profit of the Year is Leeds Main Street. Courtesy Photo
The 2024 Business of the Year is Guardian Systems, Inc. Courtesy Photo
The Leeds Water Works Board are the 2024 President's Award winners. Courtesy Photo
Emanuel Vallejo is the 2024 Ambassador Award winner. Courtesy Photo
Board Members for 2025, from left, are Johnny Brunson – Brunson, Barnett, and Sherrer PC; Debbie Watkins – Bob Watkins Realty; Steven Weems, outgoing president – First Baptist Church Leeds; Steve Karr, incoming president – Leeds Arts Council; Amy Lee, executive director and board secretary (ex officio), Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce; Chris Oldenberg – Servpro of Birmingham; and Leeds Mayor David Miller (ex officio). (Not shown:) Telra Rocker – Alabama Power Company; John Moore – Leeds City Schools; Phillip Samuels – America’s First Federal Credit Union; Kristen Roley – Heidelberg Materials; Randell Pickering – Mills Pharmacy; Tena Payne – Earthborn Pottery; Jeff Hudson – Standard Furniture; and Emanuel Vallejo – Kinetic by Windstream. Also not shown are ex officio board members Susan Dubose – State Representative and Brad Watson – City of Leeds. Courtesy photo
The Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce wrapped up the year in style at its monthly luncheon Thursday, Dec.19. This event was held at First Baptist Church Leeds and included the chamber’s annual awards presentation, recognition of outstanding businesses and the induction of the 2025 Board of Directors. The luncheon was sponsored by Structured Technology LLC.
Award Highlights included Ambassador of the Year – Emanuel Vallejo, Kinetic by Windstream; Civic Award – Tiffiany Ward, Millennial Bank; Non-Profit Organization of the Year – Leeds Main Street; Business of the Year – Guardian Systems, Inc.; and the President’s Award, Men and Women of the Leeds Water Works Board.
Ambassador of the Year, Emanuel Vallejo, has volunteered many hours of service to the chamber to see that needs have been met with every event the chamber has hosted this year. Most recently, he took an active role with the chamber’s “Blue Light Weekend” and “Breezy, the Holiday Shopper,” including taking photos around town with Breezy and taking the initiative to have sweaters made for him.
“Emanuel shows up early, stays late, builds relationships and troubleshoots along the way. He is a great representative for the chamber and the Leeds community and will serve on the chamber board of directors in 2025,” according to a press release from the chamber.
Tiffiany Abel Ward of Millennial Bank was presented the Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce Civic Award. Vice President of Retail Banking at Millennial Bank, Ward is past president of the Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce and she is also active with Leeds Main Street and the Leeds Quarterback Club.
“Tiffiany loves the Leeds community, and it is evident in everything she does,” according to a press release from the chamber.
Non-Profit of the Year, Leeds Main Street, has “worked tirelessly to enhance the heart of Leeds, collaborating closely with property owners and the city to bring positive change and to foster growth,” reads a statement from the chamber.
One key project was the revitalization of the pocket park, where they helped restore the existing gazebo by having it freshly painted and adding new Adirondack chairs, lights and outdoor games, creating a welcoming space for residents and visitors. Additionally, this organization played a pivotal role in the addition of several murals to downtown. They have hosted a series of successful community events, most recently Mistletoe on Main before the Christmas parade.
“Leeds Main Street has truly been a driving force in the revitalization of the downtown Leeds area, fostering unity and community spirit while bringing exciting new opportunities to the city,” the statement read.
Business of the Year Guardian Systems, Inc. (GSI) was started in 1973 by Gerald Miller. The Millers are longtime Leeds residents and have made Guardian Systems a recognizable name as a top environmental laboratory in the south.
According to a statement from the chamber, “Guardian is an accredited environmental laboratory and has a stellar reputation of providing their clients with top quality results in a timely manner with professionalism and care for clients’ needs. GSI serves many local and national government, municipal, and industrial businesses and is accredited by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Guardian is committed to testing all drinking water, especially in the Leeds community, to make sure all will be safe to drink. GSI remains one of the last locally and individually-owned environmental testing laboratories for the state of Alabama.”
Chamber Board President Steven Weems said this of the President’s Award recipients, the Men and Women of the Leeds Water Works Board, “This group of people is essential to the lives of every single person and business in the community. They do the literal ‘dirty work’ it takes for the city to even exist. Too often they go unnoticed or, if they are noticed, it is with disrespectful or negative comments on social media. The men who do the physical work often climb into ditches or are lowered head-first into massive holes with only the security of the men holding their feet. The ladies at the often are often blamed for things that are not even their fault. When these folks do their jobs right, no one notices. Life just keeps moving and faucets just keep turning. I believe these folks are the best ‘offensive line’ in the state of Alabama.”
The chamber also celebrated Business & Marketing Strategies (bronze winner) and Earthborn Studios (Top 10 finalist) for their recognition in the state Small Business Awards presented by the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama and the Business Council of Alabama.
The Chamber thanked Mae Hinton and the ladies of First Methodist Church Leeds for serving the meal, the chamber diplomats for assisting at the luncheon and Irondale Cafe for catering the meal. Mayor David Miller inducted the 2025 Board of Directors.
Board Members for 2025, from left, are Johnny Brunson – Brunson, Barnett, and Sherrer PC; Debbie Watkins – Bob Watkins Realty; Steven Weems, outgoing president – First Baptist Church Leeds; Steve Karr, incoming president – Leeds Arts Council; Amy Lee, executive director and board secretary (ex officio), Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce; Chris Oldenberg – Servpro of Birmingham; and Leeds Mayor David Miller (ex officio). (Not shown:) Telra Rocker – Alabama Power Company; John Moore – Leeds City Schools; Phillip Samuels – America’s First Federal Credit Union; Kristen Roley – Heidelberg Materials; Randell Pickering – Mills Pharmacy; Tena Payne – Earthborn Pottery; Jeff Hudson – Standard Furniture; and Emanuel Vallejo – Kinetic by Windstream. Also not shown are ex officio board members Susan Dubose – State Representative and Brad Watson – City of Leeds.
The chamber’s 2024 Corporate Sponsors were formally recognized and presented with a plaque. Sponsorships and participation included: Presenting Sponsor: City of Leeds, Corporate Partner: Heidelberg Materials, Gold Sponsors: Brunson Barnett and Sherrer PC and Hubbell Power Systems, Silver Sponsors: Millennial Bank and The Shops of Grand River, Bronze Sponsors: adr Business & Marketing Strategies, Alabama Power, AMAC Design Builders, AmFirst, Bob Watkins Realty, Buc-ee’s, Guardian Systems, IKG USA, Kinetic by Windstream, and Vick Accounting & Tax Service LLC and Copper Sponsor: EXIT Legacy Realty.
For more information about the chamber, email amy@leedsareachamber.com, visit the Chamber’s website at leedsareachamber.com, ‘like’ them on Facebook @Leeds Area Chamber, follow them on Instagram, or call 205-699-5001.
