Chamber Connection
‘Island
Businesses’ Recognized for Excellence
Bluewater GMAC Real Estate of Emerald Isle and NCCOAST
Communications, publisher of the
Island Review, received
two of the top awards presented May 30 by the Carteret County
Chamber of Commerce and the
JobLink
Career Center.
Chamber Chair Chris Barnes of Cooperative Bank recognized Bluewater
GMAC Real Estate as large Employer of the Year and Carteret
Community College President Joe Barwick honored NCCOAST
Communications as a Community Advocate Award winner.
Bluewater GMAC
Real Estate is co-owned by Sherrell Futral and Woody Warren.
Founded in 1986, the company now
employs more than 90 people.
Barnes said,
“Although Bluewater GMAC excels in all Employer of the Year
criteria, I chose to zoom in on employer-employee relations. The
nomination contained page-after-page of employee testimonials –
comments about professionalism, honesty, integrity, exceptional
customer service, teamwork, compassion … and the company’s ability
to foster a sense of family, pride and community.
“One Bluewater
GMAC associate who has been with the company for more than 20 years
still vividly remembers a gesture of kindness that occurred early in
her career. With two small children, the family’s washing machine
died. For a few weeks, Saturdays were spent at the Laundromat. One
day unexpectedly, she was handed an envelope. Inside was a company
check to purchase a washing machine for the family.
“She wrote:
‘I was touched by the monetary generosity … but more by the
fact the owners genuinely cared about my family.’ ”
“NCCOAST Communications has a lengthy community involvement resume,”
Dr. Barwick said. “It
includes the Barta Boys and Girls Club Billfish Tournament, the
Cherry Point Air Show, the North Carolina Coastal Federation Coastal
Cohorts Concerts, the Beaufort Celebrity Offshore Fishing Tournament
(a benefit for the United Way of Coastal Carolina), the Atlantic
House, Project Christmas Cheer, the Carolina Chocolate Festival,
Relay for Life, the East Carolina Council of the Boy Scouts of
America … and many more.
“Recently the company began partnering with the Chamber and the
Carteret County Association of Realtors to establish the Crystal
Coast Quality of Life Awards.
This program recognizes groups and organizations that are
making a difference at the grass roots level.
Since its inception just one year ago, 13 Quality of Life
Awards have been presented to groups ranging in scope from Potters
for Parkinson’s to the Beaufort Beautification Committee.”
NCCOAST Communications’ CEO and Publisher Tom Kies accepted the
award.
The
Small Employer of the Year was Sound Bank. Safrit’s Building Supply
in Beaufort also received a Community Advocate Award.
Other familiar Bogue Banks businesses recognized in prior years as
outstanding Community Advocates include Carteret-Craven Electric
Cooperative and Emerald Isle Realty.
The
Carteret County Board of Commissioners had passed a resolution
proclaiming May 26-31 as JobLink Appreciation Week in Carteret County. In doing so, the
Board commended the JobLink
Career
Center and its partner agencies, which
includes the Chamber, for fulfilling the mission of providing
one-stop, focused and friendly services to job seekers and serving
as a valuable resource for employers in
Carteret
County.
For
more information call the Chamber at (800) 622-6278 or (252)
726-6350. E-mail requests may be sent to
cart.coc@nccoastchamber.com.
The Chamber office is located at 801 Arendell St., Suite 1, Morehead City, NC 28557.
Mike Wagoner, President
Carteret County Chamber of Commerce
Read more articles in the May print edition of Island
Review.
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