The Wellington Chamber of Commerce honored local newswoman Roxanne Stein with its Outstanding Citizen of the Year award on Wednesday, March 16 at a luncheon that also featured the installation of the chamber’s 2016-17 executive board and board members.
County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay and Wellington Mayor-Elect Anne Gerwig swore in President Debbie Crompton, Immediate Past President Johnny Meier, Vice President Tiffany Rodriguez, Treasurer Dale Grimm, Secretary Stuart Hack and board members Michael Ferreira, Blanca Greenstein, Dr. Randy Laurich and Roxanne Stein.
McKinlay presented Meier with a certificate of appreciation for his service as president of the chamber.
“Under your leadership, the chamber has grown its membership base and has provided programming to give its members a competitive advantage to thrive in business and maintain the quality of life that makes Wellington one of the most desirable places to live, work and play,” she said.
McKinlay also congratulated Crompton for her hard work on behalf of the chamber.
Michela Green, executive director of the chamber, presented Meier with the traditional chamber jacket. “Personally, it has been a joy and a privilege, and I’ve loved working with him,” Green said.
Meier served as the president for 2015-16, working to advance the chamber, helping to make Wellington’s business community prosper.
“We saw substantial growth in our membership,” he said. “We have been able to offer businesses of all sizes a value and tools to increase their success.”
The chamber’s two biggest events, Flavors 2015 and Winterfest 2015, saw tremendous growth, Meier said. Flavors 2016 will take place Friday, April 8 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
The chamber also presented its first ColorFest run and hosted a candidates forum, along with many business classes, luncheons and networking events. “I am proud to call each and every one of you a member and an associate and look forward to working with each of you in the future,” Meier said. “Let’s keep up this momentum.”
Crompton said that she is proud to lead the chamber during its 20th anniversary, announcing that she is working to create and implement a mobile app for the chamber.
“I want to focus on providing all members with fingertip access to the chamber through this app that will not only keep everyone knowledgeable about what is going on, but provide an avenue for engagement,” she said.
Crompton set forth a goal of doubling the participation in ColorFest and growing the Women of the Wellington Chamber’s 30 Women 30 Nights campaign.
“This year, I am committed to listening to all ideas with an open mind so as to grow and support a chamber that is full and rich with many ideas,” she said. “I am very proud to have been given the opportunity to represent the chamber in this leadership position and will do everything in my power to make sure that we have a successful and rewarding year.”
Attorney Blanca Greenstein, of Greenstein & Associates, sponsored the luncheon and introduced WPTV-News Channel 5’s Roxanne Stein, the chamber’s 2016 Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
Stein and husband Steve Moss have lived in Wellington for almost 20 years. She can often be found around the community in riding clothes — she competes locally with her horse Eternity — or even gym clothes.
“I had a dream as a kid to be in television, and I was really lucky. I wanted to do big market news, and I got to do it at a very, very young age,” Stein said.
Stein said that she was honored and humbled to be recognized by her local chamber. “It goes beyond words to express how much I appreciate this recognition. You’ll never know. I love being a citizen of the Village of Wellington. I’ve never lived anywhere longer than five years, and next year it will be 20 years that I’ve lived in Wellington. As I always like to say, I do live in paradise,” she said.
It has been amazing to watch the village grow and mature during the last two decades since incorporation, Stein said.
“The village is lucky to have a chamber that has supported it every step of the way,” she said. “We are a small town, but we have a cosmopolitan vibe. We have beautiful weather, A-rated schools, we have dog parks, people parks, golf courses, tennis courts, wildlife, malls, hospitals, restaurants and the Aero Club. You name it, and everything is within a 10-minute drive. You can’t talk about Wellington without mentioning its lifeblood — its world-class equestrian facilities and events.”
The sense of community in Wellington, she said, takes a partnership between government, residents and businesses. “We are family, and we are friends. We are Wellington,” Stein said.
