Gwinnett Chamber Foundation Celebrates Small Business Excellence at Inaugural Impact Gala - Explore Gwinnett's Best in Business, AI & Tech News 2025

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The Gwinnett Chamber Foundation honored top leaders and successful entrepreneurs at its inaugural Power of Impact Gala & Awards on December 3, recognizing individuals and organizations who are accelerating the growth of small businesses across the county.

Held at Bear’s Best Suwanee, the event drew more than 130 business professionals to celebrate the Foundation’s mission: to bolster small business success through certification, technical support, and access to crucial opportunities.

Honorees Recognized for Driving Small Business Momentum

The evening’s awards highlighted those who have made significant contributions to preparing small businesses for supply-chain readiness and strengthening their operational capacity.

“This program honors the organizations and individuals who advance our work to prepare small businesses for supply-chain readiness, strengthen their operational capacity, and connect them with leaders who offer real experiential insight and mentorship,” said Deirdra Cox, Executive Director of the Gwinnett Chamber Foundation.

The 2025 Award Recipients are:

Legacy Business Leader of the Year: Dr. William “Bill” Russell
Certification Cohort Member of the Year: Alicia Cole, Lillies Boutique
Accelerator Cohort Member of the Year: Berthine Crèvecoeur West, Westbridge Solutions
Coaches of the Year: Ferdinand Risco, B2G Coach, and Stacy Risco, The Pink Patch Group
Corporate Advocate of the Year: Verizon + Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Corporate Champion of the Year: Georgia Power

Matthew Yarbrough, Chair of the Gwinnett Chamber Foundation Board, underscored the importance of the honorees’ dedication. “Our business community moves forward when people invest in others,” Yarbrough said. “The individuals recognized this year have shown what intentional leadership can make possible for small business owners preparing to scale and compete.”

Small Business Impact Institute Graduates Take Center Stage

A key part of the celebration was the recognition of the 2025 Small Business Impact Institute (SBII) Cohort Graduates, who successfully completed the rigorous program designed to enhance business readiness and sustainability.

SBII Cohort Graduates:

Coach Jeimy Arias – Lead with Coach Jeimy
Michelle Barefield – My Therapy by Michelle
Randell Beck – Studio Lensa
Derrick Bell – Arrowhead Plumbing
Audris Campbell – Research Gurus
Alicia Cole – Lillies Boutique
Lizbeth Contreras – Building Ideas Remodeling
Luisa Gaitan – Challenge 2 Get Fit Training
Vonda Harris – VALT Enterprises
Marvin Jinx – Wilmington Insurance Advisors
Nancy McGill – Cartridge World Lawrenceville
Berthine Crevecoeur West – Westbridge Solutions

Notably, seven of these graduates also earned their crucial supply-chain certifications, including Jeimy Arias, Alicia Cole, Luisa Gaitan, Vonda Harris, Nancy McGill, Alexandra Radford (The Edge Agency), and Berthine Crèvecoeur West.

Nick Masino, President & CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber and the Gwinnett Chamber Foundation, summarized the evening’s message: “We exist to accelerate and champion business. The impact of these honorees is a direct reflection of that mission and of the momentum they help create for the businesses we serve.”

Looking ahead, the Foundation will continue its mission with the next installment of the Mind Your Business Series, developed in partnership with the City of Suwanee, to expand technical assistance and business-readiness programming across Gwinnett.

For more information on the Foundation’s programs and upcoming events, visit GwinnettChamberFoundation.org/Events.