The D.C. Chamber recently honored Eleanor Holmes Norton.
The D.C. Chamber, the largest chamber in the Washington region, recently honored Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) with the Lifetime Legacy Award during its Chamber’s Choice Awards Gala Oct. 25.
Other honorees included Hines (Economic Impact Award), Disabled American Veterans (Community Impact Award), George Hawkins of D.C. Water (Business Leader of the Year), Walmart (Business of the Year), Marie Johns (Chairman’s Distinction Award), and Events D.C. (Chamber’s Choice Award).
“The capital’s business community continues to be vibrant, thriving landscape. Corporations large and small continue to open offices downtown and beyond, and commercial real estate developments under way have brought new life to neighborhoods throughout the District,” Kristina Bouweiri, president and CEO of Reston Limousine, said. “Each has had a significant hand in building D.C.’s business community, from creating jobs to shaping policy. Their investment of time, money and resources into our city has made a significant impact on the District, and we are grateful for their dedication and commitment to the city.”
Last year, Industrial Bank, a full-service community bank and D.C.’s sole minority-owned bank, received the Lifetime Legacy Award.
A special dedication was also extended to Margaret Beatrice Hill Stewart, the late matriarch of the Stewart Funeral Home family, who passed away at her home earlier this year at age 97. She was the first female to serve as president of the District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, where she served as chair emeritus until her death. Stewart was celebrated as “a woman of extraordinary accomplishments… with a strong support for women’s issues.”
The event attracted over 1,000 of the area’s most prominent leaders, decision-makers, dignitaries, and elite sponsors. It was chaired by Bouweiri and emceed by NBC4’s Tom Sherwood.
Bouweiri said that the honorees embodied the true essence of business leadership and inspiration.
The Commerce has served the city for more than seventy-five years with a membership of more than 1,700 individuals and businesses, providing businesses with advocacy, educational programs, and networking opportunities.
Commerce President and CEO Harry Wingo said the Chamber has been instrumental in weighing in on important business issues facing the city and the businesses in it, including advocacy – most recently working to lower the franchise tax from 9.75 percent to 8.25 percent so the District was on parity with Maryland.
He acknowledged the work of the District’s returning citizens population, who were able to move from incarceration to successful entrepreneurship, representing 6,000 residents.
“When you can check their criminal background in the employment process,” Wingo said. “We were against something called ban the box, or rather we weighed in on it – and realized we have a rather large percentage of those who were formerly incarcerated. We wanted to make sure that it was done in a way that did not harm business. These returning citizens need to be celebrated for becoming prosperous businesses owners and offering needed apprenticeships to others.”