On Tuesday, The Kinston/Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce hosted the 112th Annual Awards Banquet at the Kinston Country Club. During the banquet, the Chamber of Commerce presented awards for Citizen of the Year, Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award and Ambassador of the Year. The entertainment this year was given by comedian, Coach Tom Holaday.

The Citizen of the Year Award is given to recognize a Lenoir County citizen who, through their personal involvement, leadership abilities, and selfless giving of their time and talent, has positively affected Lenoir County and the lives of its citizens. The Citizen of the Year Award honors those whose contributions have been both a recent effort, resulting in a substantial benefit to the community, and a steady, reliable long-term history of service to Lenoir County.

The Citizen of the Year award was awarded to Skip Greene, presented by Robert Bizzell.

The Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award recognizes the efforts of a person or group that demonstrate outstanding volunteerism and community service. It is a tribute to those who make a difference to the community by using time, talent, and compassion to positively impact the lives of others. Recipients of the award help foster a culture of citizenship and service that acts as a catalyst for others to become involved in civic and social activities.

Duke Energy Citizen and Service Award was awarded to Paul Sugg, presented by Derrick Remer.

The Ambassador of the Year Award is given to an individual who has promoted the Chamber of Commerce throughout the year, has actively welcomed new members to the Chamber and helped to make Chamber events successful and enjoyable for everyone. He/she is knowledgeable about the Chamber and the benefits it offers to businesses and the community. This recipient will be someone who has a heart for service, is engaging, confident, proactive and presents a positive image for their company and/or the Chamber.

Ambassador of the Year was awarded to Reding Pittman, and the ward was presented by Thron Herring.

The awards were presented by representatives of the sponsors of the events, which included Friends of Better Kinston, Aerosystems and Duke energy. Citizen of the Year presented to Skip Greene, Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award presented to Paul Sugg, and Ambassador of the Year presented to Reding Pittman.