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Award winnders at the annual banquet of the Chamber of Commerce last week were: Mark Leverington, Community Service Award; Gayla Orbeck, Employee of the Year; and Don Frank, Boss of the Year.

Frank, who owns Bork Lumber, was nominated by an employee because he treats his employees like family, makes work fun, listens to his employees, and treats his employees and customers right, his nomination states. He always tries to make every situation right, the nomination continues.

Leverington - a partner/director at Johnson Funeral Homes in Belgrade, New London, and Paynesville - received two nominations for the Community Service Award. He is a member of the Lions Club, is a member on the local hospice board, teaches Bible study and leads music worship at church, chairs the Town and Country Days parade, and helps with T-ball in the summer.

Orbeck, honored as Employee of the Year, has worked for the city of Paynesville since February 1976 (nearly 28 years). As bookkeeper, she tracks the city's $1.3 million budget, and her attention to detail has saved the city and taxpayers money, according to her nomination. Twice she has been tapped by the city council to act as an interim co-city administrator.

Chamber board members are: (front) Sean Spooner, Bill Spooner, Lance Louis, vice president Dave Currens, Steph Malingen, and Paul Evans; (back) Rita Brossard, Chris Stanley (outgoing), Sheryl Fuchs, past president Jeff Bertram, Wayne Walther, secretary/treasurer Kay Spooner, Todd Burlingame (outgoing), and president Ann Johnson.

Also at the annual meeting, the Chamber members elected a new president (Ann Johnson), a new vice president (Dave Currens), and three new board members (Rita Brossard, Sheryl Fuchs, and Sean Spooner).

The Chamber board now consists of Johnson (president), Currens (vice president), Jeff Bertram (past president), Kay Spooner (secretary/ treasurer), and directors Rita Brossard, Paul Evans, Sheryl Fuchs, Lance Louis, Stephanie Malingen, Bill Spooner, Sean Spooner, and Wayne Walther.