82nd Annual Dinner

January 27, 2024

The Cobb Chamber’s 82nd Annual Dinner was a night to remember! Held at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Annual Dinner celebrates the many accomplishments of 2023 and shares the Chamber’s strategic priorities for 2024. Attendees enjoyed addresses from our outgoing Chairman Greg Teague of Croy Engineering and 2024 Chairman Mike Plant of The Atlanta Braves. The Chamber’s most engaged volunteers and members were honored during the Chairman’s awards presentation. Attended by over 1,100 of Cobb County’s business leaders and their guests, this event is our largest networking and social event of the year!

2024 photos

Annual Dinner 2024

2024 Award Winners

The 2024 Chairman’s Award was presented to Dan Buyers of McWhirter Realty Partners, a dedicated partner to the Chamber and an active member of the Board of Directors since 2015. The award is presented to an individual for outstanding leadership, dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to the Cobb Chamber. Buyers has chaired Cobb Youth Leadership and has volunteered for Leadership Cobb, East Cobb Area Council, and the Membership Campaign. He is consistently generous with his time, talents, and treasures, serving with humility and devotion.

The 2024 Len Gilbert Award was given to Pam Younker of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This award is presented to an outstanding board member who, through his or her leadership, commitment, and dedication, achieved new heights for a Chamber initiative, program or event. A longtime Cobb Chamber member, investor and volunteer, Younker has played a pivotal role in the Chamber’s advocacy efforts for Dobbins Air Reserve Base and the Clay National Guard Center. She is a graduate of both Leadership Cobb and the Honorary Commanders Association and is an active alumnus for each organization, serving as a past Chair for Honorary Commanders. Younker also represents Cobb County and the state of Georgia as an Air Force Chief of Staff’s Air and Space Forces Civic Leader.

The 2024 Mack Henderson Public Service Award was presented to Ray Thomas of the Mableton Improvement Coalition. This award recognizes an individual who embodies the philanthropic legacy of Mack Henderson through outstanding commitment and dedication to building a better quality of life for the citizens of Cobb County. Thomas has diligently shaped the community of Mableton, and through his work with the Mableton Improvement Coalition, has advocated for design guidelines for Mableton Parkway and Veterans Memorial Highway. As a dedicated public servant, Thomas is also a member of the Cobb County Police Precinct Discussion Group, the Chattahoochee Riverlands Greenway Trail Work Group, and the Cobb Community Foundation Board of Directors.

The 2024 Dr. Robert A. Lipson Award, was presented to Kim Gresh of S.A. White Oil Company. The award is presented to someone who is a visionary, a friend, a mentor, and a leader. Gresh has served on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for many years and has been a Cobb Chamber member for over 40 years. Her unmatched passion for the Cobb community and her hometown, Marietta elevates her as a mentor and trusted advisor for many. On many occasions her generosity and leadership has guided many non-profits to a sound business model during difficult and uncertain times.

Teague’s final award of the evening, the 2024 Senator Johnny H. Isakson Leadership Award, was presented to Major General Tom Carden, the Adjutant General of the Georgia Department of Defense. The award is presented to someone who is a visionary, a friend, a mentor, and a leader. Major General Carden was appointed by Governor Kemp in January of 2019 as the 43rd Adjutant General of the Georgia Department of Defense. He is responsible for directing, coordinating, organizing, and stationing the Army and Air National Guards of the State of Georgia, the Georgia State Defense Force, and federal and state civilians, ensuring their readiness to perform state and national missions.

Presenting Sponsor

Contact:
Michele Howard

770-859-2345

Diamond Sponsors

Reception Sponsor

Award Sponsor

Red Carpet Sponsor

Wine Sponsor

Life of the Party Sponsor

Camera Ready Sponsors

Coffee & Dessert Sponsor

Entertainment Sponsor

Membership Campaign VIP Recognition Sponsor

Ruby Sponsors

Emerald Sponsors

Parking Sponsors