DGDC banquet honors businesses, supporters
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on September 20, 2015 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/ETHAN SMITH
Artist Brenda Behr paints Goldsboro's Historic Union Station during the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation's annual awards banquet Friday night. The painting was auctioned off at the end of the night and was purchased by Rick Sumner for $1,000.
More than 200 people flocked to the lawn of Goldsboro's Historic Union Station Friday night for the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation's annual awards banquet, which was catered by Ed's Southern Food and Spirits.
The dinner, meant to honor achievements of downtown business owners, investors and volunteers over the past year, saw several nominees take home awards from multiple categories.
Uniquely R's, owned by Ruth and David Glisson, won the most prestigious award of the night -- Outstanding Business.
When the announcement was made by Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. director Julie Metz, Mrs. Glisson embraced her husband and both broke down into tears.
"It feels like we live in the best city in the world," Mrs. Glisson said after receiving the award. "I mean, look at all these people and everything they do. If you listen to all the stories you think, 'My God.'"
Town's Antiques, owned and operated by Wendy and Denny Town, won the categories of Best Curb Appeal and Best Design Improvement.
Ed's Southern Food and Spirits won the categories of Best New Business and Outstanding Investor.
The Three Eagles Rotary Club won Best Promotional or Marketing Effort for the Three Eagles Beer Festival, which was held in the spring at the historic Goldsboro Fire Station on Ash Street.
David and Emily Weil received the Indicator of the Year category for their work on The Terrace Room at the Waynesborough house. The Indicator of the Year category recognizes a project that serves as an optimistic economic indicator for downtown growth.
A "thank you" award was also presented to city engineer Keith Smith for his oversight of the TIGER V grant projects as the construction supervisor for Streetscape and the Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority's new transfer center.
The Herring-Hulse Designer's Showcase House at 303 S. William St. won the Mary Johnstone Award of Merit for Historic Preservation for the transformation of the more than 4,000-square-foot home into a house suited for a modern family.
Allison Platt won the DGDC Volunteer of the Year award in recognition of the hours she has spent aiding the DGDC in multiple projects and happenings downtown.
Wayne County Chamber of Commerce president Kate Daniels won the DGDC Advocate of the Year award for her role in reinstating the state's Historic Preservation tax credits and working closely with many downtown businesses and organizations to promote downtown development.
Andrew Jernigan, of Jernigan's Furniture, won the DGDC Board Member of the Year award, and will be stepping into the role of vice president of the DGDC's executive board.
Mark Beech, David Lewis and Gary Pipkin received the Most Valuable Supporter award which was given to T.A. Loving Co. for the company's involvement in downtown's ongoing Streetscape project.
Ben Hitchings, of the North Carolina chapter of the American Planning Association, also attended Friday night's banquet to present the DGDC and the city with a "Great Main Street in the Making" award for 2015.
"This downtown has a group of merchants and business owners who believe in it, invest in it and take risks to do so," said DGDC Executive Board President Terry Light. "They make sacrifices to allow for progress, and they see the bigger picture. This downtown has public officials, elected officials and staff who don't just go to work, to their job -- they support the mission of this downtown because they are passionate about their community and know that a prosperous downtown, one that makes consistent progress, leads to more economic stability, not only for the downtown, but for the city and the county and the state."