DEARBORN — The Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce will host its Chamber Choice Awards & Expo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 2 at The Henry hotel.
The event, sponsored by Ford Land, combines networking and business appreciation, honoring more than 90 businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries and an expo showcasing more than 40 vendors.
Admission is $45 for chamber members before April 18 and $50 afterward, and $65 for non-members. Cost for a table of 10 with signage is $500. To register or to view sponsorship opportunities, go to www.dearbornareachamber.org or call 313-584-6100.
This year the chamber will honor the University of Michigan-Dearborn as its Business of the Year. Since its founding in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres from Ford Motor Co., UM-D has 9,000 students enrolled in programs offering bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate and professional degrees in arts and sciences, business, education and engineering and computer science. It houses of one of the largest natural areas in metropolitan Detroit, which makes up one third of the campus, more than 70 acres serving as a research and educational resource for the campus and the region.
The Leadership Award will be presented to Ford Land Chairman and CEO Donna Inch of Ford Land, the real estate arm and wholly owned subsidiary of Ford. Prior to her current appointment, Inch held a series of finance and management positions in Ford Customer Service Division, Marketing and Sales, Product Development and other automotive operations. She serves as a member of the Eastern Michigan University Dean’s Advisory Board and is a member of the Ford Finance Executive Recruiting Committee.
Inch also serves on the board of HAVEN, a non-profit organization in Oakland County, which works to promote safe, equal and accountable communities. She also serves as chairman of the Board of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with holding an advisory capacity for several national and global real estate organizations.
As a result of her work, Inch was recognized by Treasury and Risk Magazine as one of the top women in finance in 2009, as one of the Top Women to Watch in 2010 and as a “Newsmaker” by Crain’s Detroit. Inch was inducted into the Midwest Real Estate Hall of Fame in 2011, and named as WJR-AM’s “Women Who Lead” in 2013.
Del Taco of Dearborn Heights will receive the Small Business Award. Del Taco has been a part of the Dearborn area business community since 2005. The restaurant, on Telegraph north of Ford Road, recently set a franchise record for opening restaurant sales.
Community service projects have included supporting local church tin can raffles, Dearborn Animal Shelter fundraising efforts, and sponsoring local Rotary Club events. The restaurant was awarded the Member of the Year award in 2012 by the former Dearborn Heights Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber Choice Awards and Expo connects and showcases organizations in the Dearborn area. The luncheon, including a video component spotlighting each awardee, will also highlight businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries, from five years to 180 years, including the chamber’s own 70th anniversary in 2014.
The expo will enable companies to promote their products and services to more than 300 business owners, community leaders and corporate professionals.
For more information, call the DACC at 313-584-6100.