Tracy, area leaders honored during Friday’s annual Tracy Area Chamber of Commerce banquet
Emotions ran high at the 117th Tracy Area Chamber of Commerce Celebration Banquet at The Caboose on Friday.
Four individuals, a volunteer organization and a business were honored with various Chamber awards, and three new members were added to the organization.
Chamber Director Lexi Erickson emceed the event and said even though many Chamber-sponsored festivities couldn’t take place in 2020 because of the pandemic, she was grateful the Chamber was able to hold the Miss Tracy Scholarship Program, which was live-streamed.
“That wouldn’t have happened without the support from our sponsors and from two very smart people I’m lucky enough to know — Cody Welu and Shawn Zwach — and the support from the administration at Tracy Area Public Schools,” Erickson said.
Erickson also said last year’s Halloween Parade which was moved to the area near Sanford Tracy was a big hit, as were the two photo-with-Santa events, one being a drive-thru occasion.
“I’m just very happy to be standing here tonight, seeing everyone in the crowd, supporting the Chamber and all of our hard-working individuals,” she said.
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The first award given out Friday was for the Chamber’s Outstanding Citizen — Tracy Area Public Schools Supt. Chad Anderson who was introduced by Jesse James.
James said that Anderson, who has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, is a dedicated volunteer who has helped coach youth football, basketball and baseball; he also coached football and basketball in Arlington, SD, in the mid- and late 90s. He serves on the Tracy Development Corporation, is an active member of Tracy Lutheran Church and the Tracy Lions Club and is currently a Mason, a member of the Sons of the American Legion and is president of the Tracy Kiwanis. Anderson also serves on a number of boards associated with education. In 2008, he was named the Chamber’s Boss of the Year.
Anderson and his wife, Darci, have three children: Cobey, Caden and Avery.
“I have the distinct honor of being his colleague for quite a few years, and I can guarantee you he wholeheartedly will do anything for his students and his community,” said James, a former teacher at Tracy Area High School.
See this week’s Headlight Herald for more on this article.