Greater Owensboro Chamber leader named 2010 Chamber Professional of the Year

For the second time in four years, Jody Wassmer, president of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, has been named the Chamber Professional of the Year by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives, the state association for chamber professionals.

Wassmer, who has been president of the Greater Owensboro Chamber since 2005 and was previously its executive vice president, was nominated by local businesses to receive the award. Wassmer was also named Chamber Professional of the Year by KCCE in 2007.

"I'm proud to know that our work is being seen as some of the best in the state,” said Wassmer. “It's an honor to work with the Chamber board of directors and staff."

The Chamber also won awards for Outstanding Print Communications (Chamber Matters newsletter) and Outstanding Special Event (2011 Annual Dinner) during the ceremonies held during the KCCE spring conference in Frankfort last week.

Under Wassmer’s leadership, the Chamber was named ACCE national Chamber of the Year in 2010. Wassmer spearheaded the formation of Chamber Leadership Initiatives for Northwest Kentucky (C-LINK) with chambers of commerce from nine surrounding counties to gain attention from policy makers in Frankfort and Washington D.C. The Chamber has advocated regional highway improvements such as Interstate 69, the designation of both the Audubon and Natcher parkways as future Interstate spurs and the I-64/I-65 connector corridor.

“Jody is widely recognized by many in the local community and also within the state as a key figure in driving change for positive results,” wrote Jack Bray, manager of the Domtar paper mill in Hancock County and a former Chamber board member in a letter of recommendation for the award.

“His creation and involvement in C-LINK has brought our region together to become a unified voice in Frankfort,” Shirley Cecil, 2011 chair of the Chamber board, wrote in her recommendation letter.