The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce presented its Business of the Year awards for 2011-12 in a ceremony Nov. 7 at the chamber’s annual officer installation dinner at the Key Royale Club, Holmes Beach.
Galati Marine of Anna Maria won the Large Business of the Year honor, The Islander newspaper received the Medium Business of the Year award, and entertainer Mike Sales took the Small Business of the Year award.
Chamber president Mary Ann Brockman said there were seven or eight nominations in each of the three categories. The nominations were short-listed in each division by a five-member committee that awarded points in a variety of categories. The top three point earners for each division then underwent in-depth interviews by the committee.
After each interview, the committee members independently allocated points in various categories. The businesses with the highest point total from the interview process won awards.
Brockman tallied the points, had the trophies made and announced the winners at the dinner.
The AMI Rotary Club and the chamber jointly presented its Business Person of the Year award to Darcie Duncan of Duncan Real Estate, 310 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.
In addition to the awards presentations, two new members of the chamber board of directors — Lori Gyson of Walter & Associates accountants and Scott Rudacille, an attorney with Kirk Pinkerton P.A. — were installed.
Karen LaPensee of LaPensee Plumbing moved from board vice chair to chair, while Larry Chatt of Island Real Estate assumed the vice chair position.