The Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce has opened nominations for its 2027 community awards, set to be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet and Membership Meeting on Friday, January 15, 2027. The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, December 4.
The Chamber is accepting nominations in eight categories: the Bob Knight Spirit Award, Education Professional of the Year, the Jim Gaston Friend of Tourism Award, Medical Professional of the Year, Outstanding Business or Industry, Outstanding Organization, the Rising Star Award, and Volunteer(s) of the Year. Community members are encouraged to submit nominations through an online form provided by the Chamber.
The Chamber’s board of directors will review all submissions at its December meeting and announce finalists soon afterward. To streamline the process, the Chamber requests that participants submit only one nomination form, noting that multiple entries for the same nominee will not enhance their chances.
This year’s banquet will follow the theme “Waves of Impact: It Starts With One,” emphasizing the importance of individuals, ideas, and acts of service in sparking meaningful change within the community.
The Bob Knight Spirit Award, the Chamber’s longest-running distinction under its current name, was renamed in 2022 to honor Bob Knight, the beloved longtime voice of KTLO radio who passed away in October 2021. Knight, a past Chamber board member, also served 14 years on the Arkansas Parks, Tourism, and Travel Commission. Last year’s recipient of the award was Tommy Hagan, the longest-serving member of the Salvation Army of Mountain Home’s advisory board. Hagan is known for hosting a Fourth of July lawnmower parade that has grown from a small family event to attract more than 400 participants. He is also active with the North Arkansas Fly Fishers and frequently volunteers as an auctioneer for the Baxter County Historical and Genealogical Society.
The Jim Gaston Friend of Tourism Award is another notable honor presented during the banquet. It is named for the late Jim Gaston, founder of Gaston’s White River Resort, a widely recognized figure in Arkansas tourism.
The Chamber has hosted its annual banquet at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home in recent years, where it also celebrates graduates of the Leadership Mountain Home program. Last year’s event was sponsored by Clay Maxey Companies and Big Creek Country Club, with Baxter Health as the gold sponsor and Danfoss as the silver sponsor.
This year’s nomination period mirrors the timeline from last year, when nominations closed in early December ahead of the mid-January banquet. For more information, contact the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce at 870-425-5111.