Chamber of Commerce announces awards
By: Shelia Mader
The banquet room was beautifully decorated for the occasion last week when the Chamber hosted their annual Chamber Party and Awards Presentation. The room was filled with inquiring minds anxious to hear the recipients of the various categories.
They first dined on a meal of their choice of prime rib or chicken dinner with all the trimmings. Following their meal, they listened to the awards in seven categories.
Taking home the award for Nonprofit was Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy. It was said of Gulf Coast Advocacy, “Since March of 2000, this organization has transformed the lives of victims of child abuse and sexual violence by offering a refuge for victims and their families to cope with the terrible crimes of child abuse and sexual assault while reducing the fear and further trauma that disclosure and investigation often creates. They operate on the fundamental belief that the best interests of the victim should be protected. They cover 6 counties and are in the process of opening a new facility and office complex in Marianna. They offer incredible services and resources to our community, and for that we are very thankful.”
The Small Business award went to Valena Alexander and her staff at Jackson County 1st Credit Union. The Small Business Award goes to a company that has been in Marianna since 1954, serving customers with excellence and care. Their management goal is for the customers to feel good about using their services, and if the customer doesn’t feel good about using these services then the staff hasn’t done their job correctly. The customers satisfaction and well-being is the number one priority of this business. It was built on the foundation of people helping people. Their community involvement exceeds all expectations, doing back-to-school drives, FFA fundraisers, Merry Market for Farm City, along with many volunteer hours for various projects. They are a true asset for Jackson County.
Marianna Beef O’Brady’s was the Large Business Award winner. In 1985, Jim Mellody dreamed up the idea of a family friendly restaurant, a neighborhood pub where friends and families could gather to enjoy good food and sports in a fun, comfortable atmosphere. Together, with his wife Jeanette, they embellished the Brady family name and created the now-famous Beef ‘O’ Brady’s®. Our very own Marianna ‘Beefs’ opened and became a Chamber member in 2013. They have remained a number one place for locals and visitors to enjoy great food and a family environment. Today, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is one of the fastest growing kid friendly restaurants in the country. Some call it the “Luck of the Irish.” They would call it a darn good dream that took a lot of hard work. Our local owners have pursued that dream and continue to be a place of family and fun.
The Entrepreneur of the Year went to Brian Walker of Southern Fields Brewing. The entrepreneur for 2025 is a brewery established the Fall of 2019 in Campbellton. It is a place where you can enjoy a variety of hand-crafted beers along with the nostalgic qualities of a 120-year-old building. Originally a bank built in 1900 that closed its doors during the Great Depression, Walker’s family refurbished and appropriated this unique space into an establishment devoted to bringing people together. It took a huge risk to open a brewery in a town of 198 residents five years ago and now is expanding into a distillery. This was a big jump for any business, and he has made it successful and a great addition to the Town of Campbellton. He took a leap of faith, and the community is so proud of him.
The Times spoke with Brian Walker about his Entrepreneur Award. He was all smiles, “For me, it was a wonderful moment. To survive as a small business that opened up during Covid and to be the first brewery and also soon first distillery feels incredible. We have wonderful communities all around us that have given excellent support. Walking in everyday here to a place I built with my dad is incredible.”
Jennie Ann Dean is known to never be at a loss for words until she was presented the Ambassador Award. It was said of Dean, “Speaking from the heart, this Ambassador has stayed with the Chamber throughout the years, always volunteering at events including tonight’s. She was a graduate of the 2008 Leadership Jackson class and has been an ambassador since before then. She has worked at Sunland, Habitat for Humanity, and now Stethoscope staffing services. She has had the community service mindset forever and has served the Chamber extensively. Our full appreciation goes to Jennie Ann Dean.”
Jennie Ann Dean found her voice quickly and was very touched, “It was a total shock. There was definitely so many deserving people to be awarded this award. I am truly humbled that I was chosen.”
Citizen of the Year Award went to Jesse Smallwood. Chamber Executive Director said of Smallwood, “The citizen of the year graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1987 and retired from Harris Corp. He lives in Marianna, where he is very active with Rotary, First Methodist Church, and various other organizations. He believes in supporting local charities, such as the Chipola Foundation, Jackson Hospital, and NextStep at Endeavor Academy, among others. His philanthropic mission is to help local initiatives and infrastructure non-profits that enhance the quality of life for residents of Jackson County. He carries on the passion for philanthropy shared by his father-in-law, Dr. Wilbur I. Throssell, of Marianna.”
The final award of the night was the Lifetime Achievement Award that was bestowed on Homer Hirt. For those who know he always has a story that will stay with you for days. In accepting his award, his story was nothing less than what we would have expected.
Turning 90 is a feat many do not live to achieve but that is not the case with Jackson County’s Homer Hirt. This past Saturday, family and friends gathered to celebrate Hirt’s 90th birthday, one that he considers just another day. Homer is like an icon in Jackson County whether he’s telling stories of his days in the Navy, his experiences with his dad’s Ford dealership, or his many adventures outside of those two areas. He often tells of his tenure as editor pro tem at the TIMES and his experiences there. Saturday was no different for Homer. He visited from friend to friend with stories from every walk of life. One particular guest at his 90th birthday celebration brought a huge smile to Hirt, Jack Jolly. Hirt said of Jolly, “He was a lieutenant on the U.S.S. Tweety. He came from a small town outside of Ashville. When we were activated, he was in Pensacola working as a civil engineer.” Homer is especially proud of the relationship he has with those he served with, “We meet probably every six weeks over at DeFuniak for lunch. That’s about halfway for everyone. There’s three of us officers left and maybe 25 crew members. We were a pretty hot-shot ship.”
Homer Hirt has been instrumental in community service and advocacy for both Jackson County and the Panhandle area. A Navy Veteran, Homer played a crucial role in one of the earlier visioning sessions for Jackson County back in 2003.
Alongside him were John Alter and the late Chad Taylor, who together earned the reputation of the “Three Musketeers,” a name well suited for their united, fraternal and ongoing commitment to establish a successful tourism program across and extending from Jackson County. Homer’s nearly encyclopedic historic knowledge of Jackson County and its environment made his contribution to showcase this place we call home so successful.
Homer is a firm believer that visitors don’t care about city or county boundaries, and instead care deeply about where they can get the best experience. This belief led to the establishment of Riverway South, a tourism cooperative between rural counties to promote the Panhandle area. Today, Riverway South is known as Explore Northwest Florida, which has created a united front for promoting the Panhandle and ensuring economic success for small, rural communities.
Homer was instrumental in the advocacy efforts to expand the 231 Welcome Center’s promotional efforts for the Panhandle, and played an important role in getting the Welcome Center opened again in April 2025 after being closed for five years.
Chamber executive director said nominations were taken from the membership, then formed a board/public nomination committee who made the final decisions.
