The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Chamber awards
Zatorski, Reed receive honors
By Edward Freundl, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 28, 2008
It wasn't your usual chamber meeting, and those who attended seemed to appreciate the change in format.
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The Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting last Thursday at the Comfort Inn and Conference Center, and it seemed more like a business expo or job fair.
"We're trying a new format, trying to get input from Chamber members," Chamber Executive Director Bob Pierce explained.
A half-dozen booths were set up around the perimeter of the room, each staffed by one or two chamber members explaining the different functions of the chamber - membership, marketing, advocacy, finance, fund-raising and visitor services.
A buffet of appetizers, desserts and refreshments occupied the center of the room, creating a traffic flow and plenty of contact and discussion among attendees.
Before the main award ceremony, Pierce singled out Fran Zatorski for special recognition as an "Ambassador Extraordinaire."
Zatorski is the last of the Chamber Ambassadors from the original group that started at least 10 years ago, Pierce noted.
Chamber Ambassadors are responsible for hosting and coordinating Chamber events such as Business After Hours
Before retiring, Zatorski ran MTF Secretarial Service.
"She's no longer a business owner, but she remains a friend of the Chamber," Pierce said.
The agenda then turned to the main event, formal presentation of the 2007 Business Leadership Award to Gary Reed, owner of Reed Barbering in Chelsea, Dexter and Grass Lake.
Reed was notified of the award Jan. 22 with a surprise visit from Pierce at the Chelsea barber shop at Main and Middle streets.
Chamber President Steve Olsen introduced Reed by saying that he's "become a caring, supportive friend to his customers."
"He is the adult role model parent desire for their children," Olsen said.
Reed was presented with special proclamations by Sue Walberg, wife of U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg; State Rep. Bam Byrnes; County Commissioner Mark Ouimet; and Chelsea Mayor pro tem Jason Lindauer.
"Gary Reed's barber shop is the place you were destined to be for your son's first haircut," Lindauer said.
Reed gave an impassioned and emotional acceptance speech, thanking the chamber, his customers, his faith in God and, of course, his family.
He gave special praise to his father, from whom he learned the barbering trade, for instilling in him the values of fairness, responsibility and charity.
"My dad would take us to the nursing homes and people's houses when they couldn't get out to get a haircut, and I thought that's how every barber did it," Reed said.
"I didn't know any different. I thought that's just what you did for people."
Following the presentation, Reed also thanked his employees for helping build the business into a local institution.
"We could never have done what we've done without all the girls and guys in the barber shop," Reed said.
"They are the heart of it. We are like family."
Members of his immediate family were on hand for the presentation as well.
Robin Reed, recalled the day her husband was notified of the award.
"He called me and said, 'You're not going to believe this'," she said. "He enjoys what he does, he loves people. He tries to have fun at work, and that helps him be a good leader."
Added his daughter Shelby: "I'm very happy for him."
Pierce seemed to be very pleased with the meeting's turnout and all the smiles he was seeing on members' faces.
"We decided to turn the annual meeting upside down - we wanted to get members interacting with each other," Pierce said.
"We wanted to get feedback on what the Chamber is doing right or wrong.
"It's been a great success, from all the comments we've received tonight."
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