A person whose byline should be quite familiar to Chronicle readers was given the centerpiece honor at the 2022 Lexington Chamber Awards & Annual Meeting.

During the event, held Aug. 24. at the Columbia DoubleTree, Daisy Harman was recognized with the Mike Till Impact Award. Harman, who does a reliably thorough rundown of local events and happenings in her weekly “Around Lexington County” column for the Chronicle, handles advance planning for Caughman-Harman Funeral Home.

The award, given annually, honors the memory of Mike Till, a former chair of the Lexington Chamber Board of Directors who died in 2011.

“The award recipient is one who most exemplifies Mike's spirit or humility, friendliness, perseverance and dedication to the Lexington community,” said Shawn Stinson (of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina), who was officially passed the gavel as the chamber’s 2022-23 board chair earlier in the meeting, succeeding Mike White (of Splash Omnimedia).

Harman accepted the award from one of Till’s daughters, Lauren Till Scurry, and Tom Ledbetter, associate vice provost for entrepreneurship and educational support at Midlands Technical College, after a video presentation on their father’s legacy from Scurry and Angela Till Klosterman.

“When you're talking with this person, there's not a falsehood in this person's life or in her mind,” Ledbetter said before revealing Harman as the recipient of the award. “And what she says is true and of substance for you and for this community.”

Harman offered brief remarks after being surprised with the honor. She spoke of knowing Mike Till and how that deepened the meaning of receiving the award.

“He was a wonderful leader,” she said. “He was a man of faith. He loved his family.”

The other awards given out were:

• Young Professional of the Year — Matt Porth of Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative
• Ambassador of the Year — Cindy Powell of Mosquito Joe of Lake Murray & Custom Christmas Lights
• Ambassador Rookie of the Year — Rachel Jackson of Security Federal Bank 
• Large Business of the Year — Carolina Business Equipment 
• Small Business of the Year — 803 Reality
• Volunteer of the Year — Tom Baire of Splash Omnimedia

Four companies were recognized for milestone celebrations:

• Binswanger Glass — 150 years
• Hoover Building Systems — 50 years
• Roper Staffing — 40 years
• Snelling Staffing Services — 40 years

In her remarks during the “Year in Review” portion of the program, Angelle LaBorde, the chamber’s president and CEO, spoke about two prominent positions the board has taken in the last year — opposing Lexington County’s housing moratorium and endorsing the penny tax for road improvements that will be in front of county voters in November.

“Maintaining and advancing business is what has kept us relevant for the past 63 years,” she said. “And that is why we took a stand against the county's housing moratorium this past year. Our board also recently voted to support an important initiative that will give us better roads and infrastructure throughout the county over the next eight years. The penny tax can be a game changer for Lexington County residents and it can also enhance your quality of life.”

Ron Harvey, vice president and chief operating officer of Global Core Strategies & Consulting, gave the keynote address, “Model, Connect, Involve.”