AESI - AESI WINS WASHINGTON COUNTY BUSINESS AWARDS

		AESI WINS WASHINGTON COUNTY BUSINESS AWARDS Vision Award Goes For Bridge Design MEDIA RELEASE Contact: Fred Teeter, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, 301-739-2015, ext. 102 Tim Troxell, Hagerstown-Washington County EDC, 240-313-2280 For Immediate Release: Fourth Annual Washington County Business Awards (Hagerstown, MD March 5, 2003) -- The Annual Washington County Business Awards Banquet took place on Wednesday March 5, 2003 at The Clarion Hotel and Conference Center-Hagerstown. Seven businesses or organizations won awards in a wide range of categories. According to Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce Chair Jim Pierne', "This was an exciting night for our County. The award recipients represent the very best in our business community. Hundreds of nominations were narrowed down to twenty-one finalists, and then the seven winners were announced at the ceremony." The annual awards celebration was a joint effort of the Chamber and the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission. EDC Chair Doug Wright said, "This was a celebration of the excellence found in our Washington County business community. The EDC feels that it is critical that our County recognizes our outstanding businesses. It's part of what makes Washington County a great place to live, work and play." The selected seven winners from various categories were awarded trophies. The list of categories, the winners, and the honored finalists follows: - At Your Service Award: Winner - Holiday Inn Express - Hagerstown Finalists - Sam's Club, Washington County Arts Council - Entrepreneurial Award: Winner - Aviation Resources Finalists - Beaver Creek Country Club, Verestar Government Services - Going Global Award: Winner - P&D Creative Co., Inc. Finalists - Garden State Tanning, Hub Labels, Inc. - Innovation Award: Winner - WARX/WARK Radio (Manning Broadcasting) Finalists - Crist Instrument Co., Mack Trucks - Made In Washington County Award: Winner - Hub Labels, Inc. Finalists - CertainTeed, HBP, Inc. - Vision Award: Winner - Associated Engineering Sciences, Inc. Finalists - Callas Contractors, Inc., Hub Plaza/Dahbura Family Limited Partnerships - Work Force Development Award: Winner - Susquehanna BancShares Finalists - Ellsworth Electric, Inc., Hub Labels, Inc. According to Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce President Fred Teeter, "Many people pulled together on this special event, and worked for several months. Hundreds of companies received nominations for the seven award categories." The Chamber's Business and Community Development Committee helped bring the event together. Volunteers from businesses throughout the community worked on various parts of the awards celebration. "This is a great business community event. A lot of thanks goes out to David Abeles of Wachovia Securities (the Event Chairman), Betsy DeVore of the CVB, The Clarion Hotel, Greg Evans of Horizon Goodwill, Wes Decker and Jim Turner of Antietam Cable, Tim Troxell of the EDC, and Tom Riford who was the event's MC. We also couldn't bring this event off without significant help from some wonderful sponsors. The Lead sponsors include First Data Merchant Services and Antietam Cable TV. Our Associate Sponsors include F&M Bank and Trust, Fujicolor, Garden State Tanning, Hagerstown Trust, the Technical Innovation Center at the Hagerstown Community College, and Wachovia Securities. Other sponsors included Associated Engineering Sciences, Inc., Hub Labels, Inc., Waypoint Bank, and Horizon Goodwill." It was the largest event that the Chamber of Commerce has ever held. Teeter said, "More than 420 tickets were sold for the banquet, and we're very pleased that this year broke all attendance records. It shows that the business community appreciates celebrating excellence in Washington County." The selection committee for this year's award program included all the winners of last year's Washington County Business Awards. EDC Executive Director Tim Troxell said, "This has been a superb example of the positive attributes of our top businesses, the willingness to help out and to put forth significant effort by being the selectors for this year's finalists and winners. The amount of successful economic development occurring in our county could not happen without this type of teamwork. The winners of the 2003 Washington County Business Awards represent the 'best of class' in their various fields." Antietam Cable TV produced a video documentation of all the finalists, and when the winner of each category was announced, it was a momentous occasion with special drama. Jim Pierne' called it, "The Oscars for our Washington County business community." The more than 400 people witnessed this year's finalists vie for the awards. Associated Engineering Sciences, Inc. was selected by the Washington County Business Awards Selection Task Force for its design of the "Longest County-Owned Bridge in Western Maryland." Washington County’s new bridge over Conococheague Creek, to the US-40 West Landfill, is over 620-feet long, and has over 2900-feet of roadway also designed with it. A challenging project, the bridge avoids sensitive wetland areas, and a floodplain. Pictured below, AESI designed the County bridge project, minimizing a significant elevation change. Made of reinforced concrete decks, abutments, and piers, and steel plate girders, the bridge was designed to be in full use for 100-years. The Vision Award is for developers, architects, engineers, or contractors who make creative use or re-use of space or land, and innovative design. AESI's President Wilford Sheng accepted the Vision Award Trophy at the banquet ceremonies. The evening's entertainment was "The Capitol Steps," known as "the only group in America that attempts to be funnier than the Congress." The professional troupe is made of current and former Congressional staffers who monitor events and personalities on Capitol Hill, in the Oval Office, and in other centers of power and prestige around the world, and then take a humorous look at serious issues while providing a nationwide laugh for millions. # # # # << back to news