(Photos by Bailee McKay)
The Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce held its highly anticipated 2025 Greenbrier Chamber Banquet on Thursday, March 13th at Legacy Acres. This year’s banquet was catered by B Hive Catering and embraced a magical Wizard of Oz and Wicked themed evening set in "Emerald City," celebrating the outstanding contributions of local businesses, organizations, and individuals who have made a significant impact in the community.
The event kicked off with the First Arkansas Bank & Trust social hour, featuring a DJ-curated playlist, photos with a hot air balloon from Fly Petit Jean, RBS Photo Booth, and silent auction. The official program began with a captivating “There’s No Place Like Home” welcome video, a performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow sang by Bonnie Permenter, and surprise performance of "Ease on Down The Road" from the “Gale Force,” which set the stage for an unforgettable night. President Ashton Pruitt then welcomed the crowd.
Mason Enis entertained the audience with his dynamic rendition of Defying Gravity on electric guitar followed by Chairwoman of the Board, Clara Weatherley’s state of the chamber address.
The key highlight of the evening was the annual award ceremony, recognizing excellence across various categories:
* New Business of the Year – Arkansas Breakfast Club
* Small Business of the Year – M’s Daily Dose
* Business of the Year – Huddle House
* Non-Profit/Service Organization of the Year – Bless and Feed Our Community
* Student of the Year – Isabella Carter
* Volunteer of the Year – Lynita Langley-Ware
* Citizen of the Year – Dr. Kelli McGaha-Martin
* Service Recognition Presentation – Chris Ward
The banquet also marked the unveiling of the highly anticipated annual Greenbrier City Directory and Relocation Guide, a valuable resource for businesses and residents. Over 3,000 copies are in distribution and available throughout our community and soon across the state. You can see the online edition now at greenbrierchamber.org.
In addition, the new Ola Hawks Small Business Beautification Grant was presented by City Councilman and chamber director, Richard Weaver. For the first time, this grant opportunity was available for chamber members to apply for in order to launch beautification projects that would improve their brick and mortar locations. This grant is reinforcing the Chamber’s commitment to local business development. Chef Lin’s and Central Christian Academy were awarded as grant recipients.
Topping off the night was the conclusion of the online silent auction, which raised a little over 3,000. This auction benefits the chamber scholarship endowment fund and this year’s service organization of the year, Bless and Feed Our Community. Following that, final remarks from Mayor Sammy Hartwick delighted guests as he mentioned updates on infrastructure and development. Mayor Hartwick awarded Hunter Thrasher, Chairman of the Planning Commission as the 2025 XM “Xtra Mile” Award recipient. Thrasher shares, “I want to give a huge thank you to our Mayor Sammy Hartwick for this award. Tonight's Chamber of Commerce Banquet was just one more reason why I believe in and love our community. It was (the chamber banquet) a beautiful celebration of who Greenbrier is, and the places we are headed.”
The highlight of the night though, was Mayor Hartwick’s major announcement and city’s $250,000 pledge to the Chamber of Commerce’s Matthews Park amphitheater capital campaign. This official commitment from the city to advance into phase three of construction in Matthews Park came as a major surprise to guests and especially Chamber President Ashton Pruitt. “A community amphitheater is important for several reasons, as it serves as a cultural, social, and economic asset to a town. We have been working hard behind the scenes to make this happen, but now this dream will become reality even sooner thanks to the city! This space will provide economic benefits and educational opportunities. It will serve as a versatile public space for fitness events, outdoor classroom, gatherings, fundraisers, movie nights, and a place for showcasing and preserving local arts. The possibilities are endless. We are beyond thrilled for the city’s support and excitement to get this constructed.”
“We were excited to host another incredible banquet that showcased the strength and spirit of Greenbrier’s business community,” said Vice Chair, Bethany Harris. “This year’s Wicked theme added a magical touch to an evening dedicated to celebrating those who make our city thrive.”
The Greenbrier Chamber Banquet is proudly supported annually by our community partners: Conway Regional Health Systems, First Security Bank, Wilcox Family Funeral Home, Barksdale Federal Credit Union, First Service Bank, The Children’s Clinic of Conway & Greenbrier, Centennial Bank, Central Christian Academy, First Arkansas Bank & Trust, Karen Ferguson, REMAX ELITE, Garver, and Braswell and Son Pawnbrokers.
The annual banquet was also sponsored by The Greenbrier Area Arts Council, Faulkner County Farm Bureau, GLOW Aesthetics, Arkansas Breakfast Club, Globe Life Liberty National Division Everett & Associates, DKM Construction Company, Kona Ice, Halff Associates Inc., Huddle House Greenbrier, Ott Insurance LLC, Mallory Construction, and Pafford Medical Services.
For more information about how to join the Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce, place visit greenbrierchamber.org/join
