Story By DRUW GIAMALVA 

The City of Albertville and the Albertville Chamber of Commerce celebrated a huge milestone on Thursday night, as they celebrated the 70th annual Albertville Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Banquet that was held at Sand Mountain Park and Amphitheater. The main event of the evening was the presentation of the Citizen of the Year, which went to Taylor Conner, a lifelong member of the Albertville community. 

Albertville Chamber of Commerce President Stan Witherow opened up the 70th annual event with an opening statement. 

“I want to thank you for being here with us tonight. Tonight, we are going to celebrate the remarkable achievements of this community and its members of this past year. Each year as I prepare for this event, I typically try to reflect on the past couple of months and try to figure out what encapsulates the previous year. We know 2024 was filled with challenges. As a community, we overcame those challenges. The chamber itself faced many of the same challenges of the businesses we served, but like you, we focused on what we could control.”

The award show started with the Emerging Small Business of the Year. The nominees included Bootleggers Italian Cookhouse, Brooks Insurance Group, Just Dump It and Yappy Hour Pet Resort. The winner of the 2024 Emerging Business of the Year went to Brooks Insurance Group.

“I am at a loss of words right now. I didn’t expect this, it was an honor to be nominated. First of all, I have to give credit to the other nominations. Any business that is nominated for this award makes an impact in the community. I want to thank everyone,” said Jaylon Brooks. 

The Small Business of the Year 1-10 employees was the next award given out. The nominees were Alabama Comfort Controls, Gemabees and Unique4U Design Studio. The winner of the 2024 Small Business of the Year 1-10 employees went to Unique4U Design Studio. 

The next award was Small Business of the Year 11-50 employees, with the nominees being Auto Mercado – Best Buy Auto Inc. and Hampton Inn of Albertville. Hampton Inn of Albertville would come away with the 2024 Small Business of the Year 11-50 employees. 

The Small Business of the Year 51-100 nominees were Paragon Picture Gallery and Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. Shepherd’s Cove Hospice came away as the winner of the 2024 Small Business of the Year 51-100 employees. 

The 2024 Industry of the Year went to Newman Technology of Alabama, Inc. 

The final award of the night was the 2024 Citizen of the Year award, which was given to Conner. Quinton Williams had the honor of announcing Conner as the winner. 

“Giving back is really important to me, and volunteering with the chamber has been such an awesome way to connect with our community while helping local businesses succeed and grow Albertville’s economy,” said Conner. “I’m so grateful to live and work in Albertville. The Chamber has done an amazing job bringing people together and empowering everyone, and I’m just so proud to play even a small part in it,” Conner said. 

Conner is a business leader in the City of Albertville, as she has 12 years of experience in the automotive industry. Conner has played a major role in growing and expanding her family’s dealership, while maintaining a strong focus on relationships and efficiency. This is the second Citizen of the Year Award for Howard Bentley Buick GMC leadership, as in 2004, the honor was given to Taylor’s father, Wayne Bentley. 

“It’s truly difficult for me to sum up in just a few words how incredible Taylor Conner is,” stated Witherow. “Taylor is, without a doubt, one of the most humble people I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. She embodies what it means to be a true ‘good citizen.’ Her unwavering commitment to her family, her company, and her community speaks volumes about the depth of her character. The countless ways she supports local organizations and gives back to those around her make her more than deserving of the honor of Citizen of the Year. Taylor’s impact is truly immeasurable, and I can’t think of anyone more worthy of this recognition.”

The Albertville Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Butterfly Kisses Photography, CF Media, Foodland of Albertville, H&H Printing, Huhtamaki, Lifepoint, Nesbit Predictions, Nila’s Flower Shop, Papa Dubi’s Cajun Kitchen, Sand Mountain Park and Amphitheater and The Foundation of Marshall Medical Centers.