The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce has announced the creation of the Emerging Entrepreneur Award and is now accepting nominations. The award is envisioned as a way to encourage new growth in the local economy and reward ambitious newcomers for taking risks. The award will be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Membership Meeting & Dinner on June 6, 2024.
An emerging entrepreneur is someone with the ability to identify new business opportunities and act on these opportunities to bring a business venture to life. Emerging entrepreneurs are inspired by all the exciting opportunities available to them and a willingness to take risks to build, launch, and grow their business. They must be able to adapt to changing circumstances in their business, overcome obstacles, and access opportunities to develop their business further. An emerging entrepreneur must also be able to pitch their ideas, sell their product or service to customers, and build a team of employees, mentors, or supporters to assist them along their journey.
The criteria for nomination include the following:
- Target range of nominees is 20-40 years old
- Business in operation for 2 or more consecutive years
- Nominee must be a member of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce
The Garrett County Diplomats Committee will choose 3 finalists from the pool of nominees and present them to the Board with a recommended winner. Then the Chamber Board of Directors will choose the winner. The winner of the award is announced during the Annual Membership Meeting & Dinner on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
“We’re thrilled to bring this new award to the community,” said Membership Development Manager Nick Sharps. “It’s a complement to the Heise Award, which serves as a recognition of lifetime achievement, celebrating some of the greatest success stories of our local economy. There are a lot of great new businesses that I expect to one day add to the Heise Entrepreneurial Spirit Award roster but in the meantime, I think it’s important to recognize the youthful energy out there. We want that kind of energy in Garrett County and, more specifically, in the Chamber.”
To obtain a Nomination Form please contact Nick Sharps at 301.387.5237 or by email a tnick@garrettchamber.com or download the form at visitdeepcreek.com/awards.
All nominations must be returned to the Chamber by Close of Business on Friday, March 8, 2024. The winner will not be announced until the Annual Membership Meeting & Dinner on June 6, 2024.
The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is the largest professional business association in the region with 500 members representing every industry in the community. The mission of the Chamber is to organize, support and represent Garrett County’s business community in advancing common interests and additionally to promote Garrett County’s hospitality and recreation industry by attracting visitors to the county through comprehensive marketing. The Garrett County Chamber also serves as the Destination Marketing Organization and Heritage Area Management entity for the County.
For more information about the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce please log onto www.visitdeepcreek.com or call 301.387.4386.
