Business leaders to be honored by Chamber

The Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual meeting and awards reception on Thursday, May 19.

The event will be at the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center, 2360 N. Dakota Dr., and honor businesses and stakeholders who have made significant community contributions.

Four awards honoring community partners will be given out.

Founder and CEO of SEEK Careers/Staffing Carol Ann Schneider will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Schneider founded SEEK while operating out of her neighbor’s basement in Grafton in 1971. Today, SEEK operates 16 branch offices throughout Wisconsin and four in Minnesota.

Schneider is a founding member of the Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce and served as its board president three times. She has also served on the boards of Milwaukee 7, Ozaukee Economic Development, Ozaukee County Transportation Initiatives,

Ozaukee Youth Apprenticeship and St. Joseph’s Church in Grafton.

SEEK also makes annual contributions to Chamber and community initiatives including Ozaukee Youth Apprenticeships, Ozaukee Economic Development events and the Grafton Christmas parade.

The Outstanding Business Award will be given to Oasis Healthcare, which has offered a low-cost alternative to urgent or primary care since August 2020.

Oasis has served as a Covid vaccination site through the pandemic and supports local organizations and events through charitable contributions.

The owners of the Grafton Hotel Apartments, Paul Rushing and Kit Keller, will be recognized with the Outstanding Business Persons Award for transforming the former Grafton Hotel into high quality apartments, and preserving the historic building.

The project served as an impetus to create the downtown tax increment finance district and presented the village with an opportunity to invest and redevelop downtown.

The Grafton Public Works Department will also be honored with the Outstanding Community Partner Award.

Chamber Director Pam King said partnerships with the department were crucial to ensuring Chamber events could be executed safely.

The reception runs from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. when the awards program and Chamber board elections begin.

Tickets are $40 and include appetizers and desserts. A cash bar will also be available. Reservations must be made by May 17.

For more information, call 377-1650 or email Sarah@grafton-wi.org.