WELLSVILLE - The 96th Annual Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Reception and Dinner will be held Friday at the Wellsville Country Club.
The Large Business of the Year Award will go to Certified Traffic Control of Andover. The Small Business of the Year Award will go to Pizza King of Wellsville.
John Anderson will be honored with the Spirit of Wellsville Award, as well as the Wellsville Daily Reporter.
The Community Service Award winners for 2019 are C.J. Rahr and the Wellsville Little League.
About the winners:
Certified Traffic Control started in 1984 as Certified Traffic Controller with flagging services. The sign manufacturing warehouse opened in 1989 and despite a fire in 1989, they rebuilt and came back stronger at the same location. The company, with President Christine Joyce, became Certified Safety Products of New York Inc, in 2002 and has been a strong community partner for 34 years.
Pizza King opened in 1972 on Main Street in Wellsville by Peter and Mary Giovanniello. Their son, Paul Giovanniello has owned the business since 2000. They expanded by opening the popular ice cream and food business, Sugardaddy's Ice Cream & Grill, which is across the street in 2010 and recently bought a closed, empty building and created a new parking lot for customers of both businesses. Pizza King has not only has sponsored many events and teams over the years, but employees volunteer in the community, as well.
The Spirit of Wellsville Award Winner John Anderson moved to Wellsville in 1996 and started volunteering with the Wellsville Little League, fire department, Little Dribblers, youth wrestling and football, and the United Way. His senior little league team won a New York State title in 2014 and to the nationals. He is the current varsity volleyball coach at Wellsville and Wellsville All-Sports Boosters President.
In the newspaper business, he has been sports editor and managing editor of the Wellsville Daily Reporter, Hornell Evening Tribune, Dansville Express, Olean Times Herald and currently the Batavia Daily News. He is a three-time investigative reporter of the year as well as for columns, sports writing, features, video and social media.
The Wellsville Daily Reporter, under current Regional Editor Chris Potter, has transitioned into a daily newspaper that started in 1880 to having the paper available at stores and by mail.
The Daily Reporter still maintains a strong digital presence in the community with a website and social media. The newspaper still covers politics, community events, features and sporting events.
The Community Service Award Winner, C.J. Rahr is being honored with the Wellsville Little League. The two go hand-in-hand.
Rahr has maintained arguably the best two fields in the nation and as a result, Wellsville brings in thousands of visitors for local, regional, and state little league tournaments as well as providing a place for boys and girls to learn the great game and have fun.
Rahr is a Wellsville High School graduate and alumni of SUNY Alfred and Geneseo. He started with the Wellsville Little League in 2008 and has served as a volunteer minor league and major league manager, coached several all-star teams, and is now the president of the Little League. He has also been on the board of directors for the New York State District 2 Little League.
Rahr has also volunteered with the Wellsville Summer Track program, youth soccer and youth hockey.
Limited tickets are available for the dinner on May 10th at the Wellsville Country Club. For more information on the dinner or becoming a member of the Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce, information is on the Chamber website,www.
