By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

It was an evening of fun and fellowship at the Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and Award Dinner, which was Jan. 27 at Kentwood’s Viewpond Banquet Hall.

Chamber President and CEO Keith Morgan noted it has been a year of change as he took over the Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce in the beginning of January 2022. New programs, such as the BIPOC committee, have been formed, along with the Chamber continuing to build relationships and connections. This has included an expanded footprint for the annual Metro Cruise which now has stages at both Wyoming’s Rogers Plaza and Kentwood’s Woodland Mall.

At the banquet, Morgan pointed out that it was another night of celebrating change as Board Chair Tony Marino was stepping down with Valerie Cook having been named the new board chair.

Hosted by WGVU’s Shelley Irwin, the Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony recognizes three chamber businesses along with presenting the volunteer of the year, distinguish service, and committee of the year awards. 

Manufacturer of the Year

RoMan Manufacturing

861 47th St. SW, Wyoming

Started in 1980, RoMan Manufacturing is a producer of water coolant transformers for the resistant welding business and has sine expanded into other markets. The company made Wyoming its home because of “convenience.” According to Chief operating Officer Nelson Sanchez, many of the employees who started with the company lived in Wyoming and it was close to the highway. 

Service Business of the Year

University of Michigan Health-West
Main campus: 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW, Wyoming

University of Michigan Health-West is a progressive, innovative hospital system in Wyoming, serving all of the West Michigan with about 30 sties in four counties. University of Michigan Health-West was founding in 1942 by a group of physicians. Seeing the potential growth in the the southern area of Kent County, the main hospital was moved to the Wyoming area in 2007.

Retail Business of the Year

B2 Outlet Stores
Various locations
962A 28th St. SW, Wyoming
350 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids

B2 Outlet stores started with a father and son duo, Duane and Matt Smith, who were purchasing liquidation items for an online auction. The pair opened a store in Hudsonville in 2015 and from there the retail business grew to 21 stories including 1 in Illinois and 1 in California. B2 stands for benefit twice: the first benefit is for the customer who receives the great values and the second benefit is to the various local nonprofits that B2 has supported. 

Other Award Recipients

The Gerald E. Fessell Distinguished Service Award was given to Rich Wadsworth, a financial advisor for Edward Jones in Wyoming. Wadsworth was recognized for his years of service on the Chamber board, most recently serving as the executive vice chair for community relations. He has been the lead mentor volunteer for the last few Metro Cruise events and has helped to grow the footprint of the event.

The Daniel VanDyke Volunteer of the Year Award went to Amanda Villa, from The Source. Villa found the Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce through the Chamber’s Young Professionals group. When the Young Professionals group needed a committee role to be filled, she volunteered. She shared the information she had learned from the Chamber with her employer, who also became a Chamber member.

The Daniel McLaren Committee of the Year was the Chamber’s Santa Parade Committee, with committee member Jerry DeGood accepting the award on the committee’s behalf. The committee was recognized for its dedication in hosting the annual event, which was cancelled in 2021 due to high winds. The committee honored all 2021 sponsorships and was able to raise additional funding to help with other costs. The committee also smashed its goal of 45 participants by having more than 60 in the 2022 parade.

For more about the Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce, visit its website southkent.org.