SPRINGFIELD —  Community members across scores of sectors on Feb. 20 gathered at the Wildish Theater during the annual Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony to celebrate the businesses, the business champions, and the people behind it all that “Inspire Excellence” locally. 

The Chamber’s track record in 2024 reflects its commonly used mantra, “We Open Doors.” According to Vonnie Mikkelson, the Chamber’s CEO, president, and ceremony emcee, the organization conducted 24 ribbon cuttings and grand openings, offered 1,000 hours of business education through workshops, and saw visits triple online to its Small Business Solutions Hub.