Palm Beach Chamber honors 2022 award winners at final breakfast event of the season

The Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce honored its 2022 award winners Wednesday during its monthly membership breakfast meeting at The Breakers.

They include a Royal Poinciana Plaza fashion and jewelry boutique, a rising young professional, a charity to help cancer patients, a nonprofit that guides entrepreneurs, and a longtime volunteer Winners were announced in April.

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Marissa Collections boutique, which opened Nov. 30 in Royal Poinciana Plaza, was named New Business of the Year.

The company, which also operates a location in Naples, was recognized for its fortitude and creativity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Throughout the two-year slow-down and shutdown, it was difficult enough to sustain a business, yet alone expand to a new market," the chamber said in a statement. "Marissa Collections was fearless and came to the east coast to open a space at the Royal. Not only did they open a new boutique, they opened their arms to the community and hosted a variety of events for local organizations."

The Entrepreneur award went to The 1909 Foundation, a ''co-working space, accelerator program and mentorship platform helping connect and guide entrepreneurs.''

The foundation has locations at 313 Datura St., West Palm Beach, and 135 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach.

"I'm one representative of a group of over 230 amazing small business owners, entrepreneurs and creatives," 1909 Executive Director Shana Ostrovitz said in accepting the Entrepreneur award.

Palm Beach resident Janet Levy, who serves on the board of the Cancer Alliance of Help & Hope and works closely with other charitable organizations, was named Volunteer of the Year for her work on behalf of others.

"I truly love doing things in the community to make it a better place," Levy said.

She said she and her husband, Mark, "are truly blessed to be able to live in a town we love and to be able to meet such great people. We're so happy to live in Palm Beach, and not to give back would be truly a shame."

Taylor Materio, committee chair for the chamber's Young Professionals group, was named Young Professional of the Year.

During brief remarks to the audience Wednesday, Materio, who is the director of development for the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, encouraged young professionals to use their voices.

"To the young professionals in the room today, they say that you're the future leaders of tomorrow," she said. "Well, tomorrow is closer than you think. So get out there with your courage and your confidence and your fresh ideas, and show them what you got."

The Cancer Alliance of Help & Hope was named Non-Profit of the Year.

The organization works to ease the burden of qualified local cancer patients by paying a portion of their non-medical bills, supplementing basic needs, and providing support and information resources. It was founded in 2003.

"Thank you to the chamber for this great honor," CEO Stanton Collemer said. "Working with the Cancer Alliance truly is a labor of love. We help people, and we just want to do more."

Following the awards presentations, outgoing Chamber of Commerce Chair Roy Assad paid tribute to longtime CEO Laurel Baker, who announced in January that she would be stepping away from the position after 21 years.

"She stands tall," Assad said of Baker, who was honored Wednesday with a standing ovation. "She has great leadership skills. She gave years of her life to the chamber. I've had the honor of working with her for five years. I must tell you there is no one who has worked as hard as Laurel Baker for this chamber, for this community, and for us as individuals."

Wednesday's meeting was the final membership breakfast event of the 2021-22 season. Meetings will resume in October.

Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach Chamber recognizes 2022 award winners during Breakers event