The Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce honored several members of the community at its annual awards banquet Thursday night at the Kinston Country Club.

Raine Tyndall was named Ambassador of the Year for her tireless work in attending and coordinating Chamber events, including ribbon cuttings, Business After Hours and the BBQ Festival on the Neuse. 

Tyndall thanked the other Chamber ambassadors for their help and expressed her enjoyment of the position.

“It almost doesn’t seem right to receive an award for something that you love to do anyway,” Tyndall said.

The award for Young Professional of the Year went to Jeremy Jones, in recognition of his service to the community through the Rotary Club of Kinston, as a board member of Lenoir/Greene United Way and fundraising for the Lenoir County Education Foundation. 

Jones said the honor was unexpected but greatly appreciated.

In contrast to previous years, the Duke Energy Citizenship & Service Award was awarded separately from the Citizen of the Year Award. The recipient this year was Lenoir County Board of Commissioners Chairman Linda Rouse Sutton, in recognition of her service on both the Board of Commissioners and the Lenoir County School Board, as well as with the Red Cross, Lenoir County Social Services, and other boards and committees. 

Sutton said the award was such an honor to receive and thanked her family for their support of her in everything she does. 

“I love Kinston and Lenoir County, and this is my way of giving back. I’m truly honored to be among this group of distinguished people,” Sutton said.

The culmination of the evening was the announcement of the recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award, Adrian King. Former Citizen of the Year winner June Cummings noted King’s accomplishments as the executive director of Pride of Kinston, a member of the Lenoir Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, past president of Kinston Rotary Club, past chairman of the Lenoir County Historical Association, and most especially as director of Kinston Area Recovery Effort (KARE). 

King showed evident emotion as he listened to the tribute and then expressed his appreciation for the honor.

“To say I’m surprised would be an understatement,” King said.