ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 13, 1997 TAG: 9704140011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Chamber to hold annual banquet
CHRISTIANSBURG - The Christiansburg-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual membership dinner and dance Thursday at the Holiday Inn Blacksburg.
A recognition and awards ceremony will follow the dance. The chamber will present its annual Commerce Award as well as Outstanding Service to the Chamber and Distinguished Citizen of the Year awards.
Music will be provided by Scott Stevens of KOOL Country 101.7 FM.
Tickets are $25 a person. Reservations must be made by Monday. For information, call 382-4251.
Blacksburg chamber honors pair
BLACKSBURG - Two well-known Blacksburg figures received the top awards at the Blacksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet this year.
Al Bowman, retiring president of Litton Poly-Scientific, won the Business Person of the Year award for the second time. Bowman has been an employee of the company for about 40 years and has served as president since 1970. Bowman has served such groups as the Montgomery County Regional Solid Waste Authority, Blacksburg branch Library Fundraising Committee, Blacksburg Rotary and Virginia Tech University Group.
Blacksburg Town Manager Ron Secrist was named Distinguished Citizen of the Year. Secrist accepted the award as a reflection of public satisfaction for the work done by all of Blacksburg's elected officials and employees. Secrist serves on the Columbia Montgomery Regional Hospital board, the board of Blacksburg Rotary and on Virginia's U.S. Senate Productivity Award board.
At the chamber's April meeting, Tom Owen and Marian Lockard of New River Community College discussed ways the college can work with business and industry.
The chamber plans an After Hours event Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Bowman Room of the Jamerson Athletic Center of Virginia Tech. For information, call 552-4503.
Custom Catering buys Chris' Catering
BLACKSBURG - Custom Catering has purchased Chris' Catering Service of Radford and plans to combine the businesses. Although the deal was made April 4, the businesses will merge over the next month and a half. Eventually, the owner and staff of Chris' Catering will join the Custom Catering staff at the Blacksburg location and the building occupied by Chris' Catering in Radford will no longer be used.
Larry Linkous, who owns Custom Catering along with his wife, Charlotte, says the merger should be good for everyone and will create new opportunities.
His business has specialized in on-site catering, while Chris' Catering has focused on off-site catering, he says. By combining the two, the customer base will be expanded, he says.
Flower shop named exclusive distributor
PULASKI - The Flower Shoppe in Pulaski recently has been selected as one of 175 garden centers in North America to offer an exclusive line of perennials from Bressingham Gardens.
The store will be the only retail outlet for special Bressingham products in western Virginia.
Bressingham Gardens, one of England's leading perennial nurseries, offers a select line of plants called The Blooms of Bressingham.
As an exclusive distributor, The Flower Shoppe will offer the newest Bressingham perennials before they are available at other retailers. The Flower Shoppe also will have access to special informational material from Bressingham Gardens.
The shop hopes to make the new flowers highly visible by establishing flower beds in area parks.
Local Realtor certified as specialist
BLACKSBURG - John Skelton, Realtor with Raines Real Estate Inc./Better Homes & Gardens has been awarded the Certified Residential Specialist designation .
Only 4 percent of Realtors hold the designation, which requires courses and demonstrated expertise in residential sales. Skelton has received a number of awards, including Raines Top Producer for 1996. He is a member and past director of the New River Valley Association of Realtors. He and his wife live in Blacksburg.
Office networking seminar held
BLACKSBURG - Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology and local chambers of commerce conduct noon seminars on third Fridays at the Garvin Innovations Center.
Comprehensive Computer Solutions will give this month's seminar, "Office Networking: How to Benefit from Local Networks," on Friday. Registration is required. For information, call 231-7760.
Radford women's group to hold annual event
The annual emblem breakfast of the Radford Business and Professional Women will be April 20 at the Best Western Radford Inn. The speaker is the organization's state president, Vincette Goerl. The group's regular meeting is on third Thursdays. For information, call 639-0037.
Professional secretaries to meet Monday
The New River Valley Chapter of Professional Secretaries International will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the meeting room at Ryan's Restaurant in Christiansburg. For more information, call 231-6204.
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Skeltonby CNB