Pike County Chamber of Commerce Presents 2025 Awards
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(Waverly) – Local business representatives, community leaders and elected officials gathered for the Pike County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Banquet at the Pike County Career Technology Center. Shirley Bandy, Executive Director of the Chamber welcomed guests and introduced the Board Officers; 2024 President Damon Campbell of McDonald’s, 2025 President Brad Babst of OSU South Centers, 2024-25 Vice President Brya Long of Longs Retreat, Treasurer Paul Price, Director of Tourism and Development Chandler Grooms, Administrative Officer Bridget Barker and Banquet Chairperson Julie Galloway of PORTS-SSAB.
Chandler Grooms served as the emcee for the event, “Tonight is all about celebration. It’s about celebrating the progress we’ve made as a community, the businesses and individuals who are making an impact, and the partnerships that help us grow.” Grooms welcomed local and state elected officials and their representatives, and recognized each business in attendance, “Thank you to each and every one of you for being part of this business community. Your continued investment in Pike County truly matters.”
Grooms then invited to the podium the Hospitality Sponsor for the evening — Long’s Retreat Family Resort. “We’re so grateful for their continued partnership and their commitment to supporting the Chamber. Please join me in welcoming and recognizing Brya Long.” Long addressed the group, “It’s an honor for Long’s Retreat Family Resort to be the hospitality sponsor for this year’s banquet. For over 40 years, Long’s Retreat has been a place for families to make memories right here in Pike County. We’ve welcomed campers, day-trippers, families, and travelers — all with the goal of creating a fun, family-friendly environment.”
Long continued, “We’re proud to support the Pike County Chamber and its mission to grow business and tourism in our region. Events like this one show how connected we all are, and how much we can achieve when we support each other. As the hospitality sponsor, I have the great honor to recognize the incredible talent behind the meal we’re about to enjoy. Tonight’s dinner has been prepared by the Pike County Career Technology Center culinary students, led by their director, Jimmy Caudill. Let’s give them a big round of applause for their hard work and hospitality and please welcome Bonnie Ward, Southeast Regional Liaison for Governor Mike DeWine, as she delivers the invocation.”
Following dinner, as Paul Price prepared to present the 2025 annual awards he shared the following thoughts, “Wherever I go, I love seeing construction projects. I love the busyness, development, order from chaos as a new thing, a new building emerges. The old made new again with a beautiful new addition. Creativity and vision coming into being. Growth and economic development in the community. Those are things that I think of when I drive by a construction site. It makes me think of Pike County as a construction site as well. All around our County you see the signs. The hard work, growth, economic development, vision and creativity coming into being. People working together to make that happen. The old made new. New life, new opportunities. A new fire being sparked in our people. Building businesses and building communities. That is what we celebrate tonight. Our people. The people of Pike County. The growth and development and community that they have built. The bright, bright future ahead of all of us. I am so glad that you are joining all of us tonight in celebrating our county, its people, and its awesome accomplishments.”
Price presented the first award to, “a group that has been dedicated to celebrating our history, our heritage and our county for the past 40 years. “We recognize them tonight for strengthening our community and promoting local pride as we present the 2025 Tourism Milestone Award to Beaver Octoberfest.“
”This event has transformed over the years from a small one day block party to a four day annual festival and it gives us the opportunity to display to outsiders what we love about our community and how we celebrate as a people together.
In sticking with the “community” theme for the night, Price presented the 2025 Cornerstone Award to Beast & Bottle for their creativity, vision and their investment to transform the corner of Second and Market Street in Waverly into a gathering place for the community with tasty food and awesome entertainment. “Always keeping their local social consciousness in mind, it’s a corner full of life and energy and action on display in their events and in the tried and true favorite recipes from around the globe found on their menu.”
The 2025 Community Investment Award was presented to Cardo’s Pizza of Waverly in recognition of the entrepreneurial journey and the investment to business in Pike County.
Price went on to say, “There is no doubt that Cardo’s is a Pike County institution with a long and storied 49 year history. Davis Remy is the current owner, and we celebrate him and his business, it’s not just a pizza place, but an arcade, an ax throwing arena, a community gathering area. A place for young and old to form those core memories together. We love this reinvestment in our community with old made new. The past accepted and celebrated, and the future being very bright indeed.”
The final award of the night, the 2025 Organization of the Year was presented to the Pike County Land Reutilization Corporation (Pike Land Bank).
“A group of dedicated volunteers, elected officials and local business representatives committed to working together, facing and taking action on the problem of burned-out, abandoned buildings, and delipidated, blighted properties in our community. Properties in desirable locations and undesirable, despicable conditions driving down neighboring property values, community eyesores, potential unrealized. This organization committed to making a small dent, and as a result has made a huge difference. They have been serious about facing the challenges and enacting solutions. With support and assistance from like-minded individuals that love their community, this organization is a difference-maker in Pike County.”
The banquet concluded with recognition of Economic Development Partner OhioSE, Door Prize Sponsor Latham Limestone, and the 2024 Chamber Board Members that completed their three-year term: Matt Brewster (Pike General Health District), Kim Conley (Friends of the Chamber), Julie Galloway (EHI Consultants/PORTS-SSAB), Pam Johnson (Pike County Recovery Council), Jeffrey Marshall (Printex), Davis Remy (Cardo’s Pizza of Waverly), Trey Swain (TS Tech).
The 2025 Chamber Board of Directors, includes the following members: Brad Bapst (OSU South Centers) Skymr Bevens (Ohio Valley Bank), Davida Brown (Pike County Auditor), David Boyer (Boyer Funeral Home), Hope Brewster (Brewster’s Hometown Pharmacy), Damon Cambell (McDonald’s), Deneen Garner (Fluor BWXT-Portsmouth), Abby Harris (23 Southbound Flea Market), Heather Keesee (Keesee Law Office), Joey Kuntz (Pike County YMCA), Cody Leeth (Western Local Board of Education), Evan Legg (First National Bank), Brya Long (Long’s Retreat Family Resort), Amanda Newland (Beast and Bottle), Lisa Pfeifer (Community Action Committee of Pike County), Mindy Williamson (The Village Brew), Amy Woods (Bristol Village).
