ROCK FALLS — John Berge of McFalls, Berge and Associates was presented with the Champion Award on Thursday at the Days Inn during the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce annual meeting.

The award was made in recognition of Berge’s commitment through leadership and mentoring to the region’s business community over three decades.

The accounting firm’s own slogan of “providing solutions, delivering results” epitomized the recipient’s value to the community, the chamber said in a news release.

Karen Voss of Morningside Senior Living in Sterling was presented with the Lavonne Colloton Ambassador of the Year award.

Pam Fluck of Sauk Valley Bank received a service award for 10 years of Ambassador recognition.

Lance Buser of Walmart Distribution Center 7024 was recognized as the outgoing board president. Walmart also sponsored the student-prepared meals.

The area chamber has 385 member businesses that employ 12,540 people in 23 cities and towns.

Chamber President Jon Mandrell said it was the ninth year it worked in collaboration with the Whiteside Area Career Center’s CEO class to stage the annual meeting.

“It is great to be able to gather in person again to celebrate the accomplishments of the Chamber and recognize our dedicated members,” said Mandrell, vice president of academics and student services at Sauk Valley Community College.

CEO student Claire Crisham provided the welcoming remarks. The class took part in a skit, “Back to Business.”

The WACC culinary arts class provided a dessert bar.

Kris Noble, the chamber’s executive director, listed the organization’s accomplishments in 2021. They included the annual golf outing, the Agribusiness Steak Fry in the Country, the manufacturing dinner and the Fiesta Day Parade. Organizing committees involved more than 295 people.

The chamber enrolled 36 new members, holding ribbon cuttings for each, and presented 12 businesses with customer service awards.

The chamber also contributed $22,150 to various causes; these included scholarships, donations to not-for-profit organizations and its ongoing commitment to the WACC CEO class.

Noble highlighted the projects in which the chamber was a partner to other entities, such as the Regional Manufacturing Group, the Welcome Home Campaign and the Friends of the Riverfront Task Force.

The chamber works with Small Business Development Center at SVCC and the Dixon Chamber and Main Street in the area of manufacturing; with Sterling Main Street, SVCC, Sterling Schools Foundation and WACC Digital Media Arts on the welcome home recruiting; and with SVCC and the Sauk Valley Keystone Group on the riverfront projects.

Members of the WACC CEO class, according to its website, are by class and high school:

Kenneth Boesen, junior at Newman; Lucas Clark, senior at Sterling; Ally Clevenger, senior at Newman; Chloe Coil, senior at Dixon; Claire Crisham, junior at Newman; Matthew Downs, junior at Newman; Alexsia Funderberg, junior at Sterling; Carlos Garcia, junior at Sterling; Alexander Georgiev, senior at Dixon; Carter Gremba, junior at Newman; Sarah-Elizabeth Haenitsch, senior at Faith Christian; Alexandria Headrick, junior at Sterling; Katherine Henson, senior at Morrison; Kacen Johnson, junior at Milledgeville; Grant Koerner, senior at Newman; Kierra Magana, senior at Sterling; Morgan McBride, senior at Polo; Bridget McCrory, senior at Dixon; Matthew Megli, senior at Rock Falls; Logan Moeller, senior at Dixon; Kory Mullen, senior at Newman; Kaden Mulligan, senior at Dixon; Rhett Oetting, senior at Newman; Marlee Oros, senior at Dixon; Zachary Pauley, junior at Milledgeville; Mason Randrick, senior at Dixon; Molly Riffle, senior at Morrison; Braeden Ruiz, senior at Sterling; Lilianna Smith, junior at Milledgeville; Hayden Steinmeyer, senior at Dixon; Izaac Toms-Smith, senior at Milledgeville; Luke Valentino, senior at Sterling; and Kelsey Woolard, senior at Dixon.