ARTICLE
Lakeland, FL (January 3, 2023): The Lakeland Chamber’s Annual Meeting will debut a new award to recognize businesses that have created significant impacts to improve and sustain Lakeland’s world-class quality of life. The acknowledgement joins the George Jenkins Award and P. Scott Linder Small Business of the Year Award as the Chamber’s top annual honors. Stacey Heacock Weeks, 2022 Chamber Board Chair, was instrumental in launching the new award, which will be named for Kathleen Munson, the Chamber’s former President & CEO. “Kathleen provided professional leadership to the Chamber for more than 27 years and made championing Lakeland’s quality of life a priority for the business community. The Kathleen Munson Quality of Life Champion Award will allow us to honor those businesses that are dedicated to making Lakeland a great place to live, work and play.” Munson began her Chamber career in 1987 as the Director of the Lakeland Convention & Visitors Bureau following her work to coordinate and broadcast the Miss USA Pageant from Lakeland in 1984 and 1985. Five years later, she was named President and led the Chamber to win Florida Chamber of the Year in 2006. The inaugural award will be presented during the Chamber’s 2022 Annual Meeting on February 7 at the Bonnet Springs Park event center.
Lakeland, FL (January 3, 2023): The Lakeland Chamber’s Annual Meeting will debut a new award to recognize businesses that have created significant impacts to improve and sustain Lakeland’s world-class quality of life. The acknowledgement joins the George Jenkins Award and P. Scott Linder Small Business of the Year Award as the Chamber’s top annual honors.
Stacey Heacock Weeks, 2022 Chamber Board Chair, was instrumental in launching the new award, which will be named for Kathleen Munson, the Chamber’s former President & CEO. “Kathleen provided professional leadership to the Chamber for more than 27 years and made championing Lakeland’s quality of life a priority for the business community. The Kathleen Munson Quality of Life Champion Award will allow us to honor those businesses that are dedicated to making Lakeland a great place to live, work and play.”
Munson began her Chamber career in 1987 as the Director of the Lakeland Convention & Visitors Bureau following her work to coordinate and broadcast the Miss USA Pageant from Lakeland in 1984 and 1985. Five years later, she was named President and led the Chamber to win Florida Chamber of the Year in 2006.
The inaugural award will be presented during the Chamber’s 2022 Annual Meeting on February 7 at the Bonnet Springs Park event center.