George Emerson, center, is surrounded by his family during the CBA’s annual picnic and the announcing of his recognition of the Snead-Stebbins Founder Award.

George Emerson, the most recent recipient of the Chester Business Association’s annual Snead-Stebbins Founders Award, is treating the honor with modesty.

“I am honestly always very humbled when I get any awards,” he says.

Emerson received the award – also known as the Snead-Stebbins Businessperson of the Year Award – in front of over 100 business owners and family members at the annual CBA picnic, held at the home of Jim and Robin Daniels last Thursday.

A very deserving candidate and recipient, Emerson, a builder and developer, has invested millions into the development of Chester. Alone, he has over $20 million invested in Festival Park, a business and apartment community located in the Village Green. Emerson’s current projects in the community include the final phase of the residential and commercial end of the Chester Village Green; future apartments on the property adjacent to the Village Green; and residential communities Meadowville Landing and Highland Park. New on the table is the redevelopment of Flippo Trailer Park, to be complete by 2010.

His most recent philanthropic accomplishments include the annual Highlands Massey Golf Classic (formerly Swing for the Cure), which has raised over $250,000 for VCU Massey Cancer Center over the past two years. He will also be involved with this year’s event, which will be held on Thursday, September 11.

Emerson is a member of the John Tyler Community College Foundation Board, the VCU Real Estate Foundation Board of Directors, and the Massey Cancer Center Board of Directors. Additional board duties include the Henricus Park and the Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation boards and the YMCA Chairman’s Round Table; he is also an enlisted committee member of the Chesterfield Historical Society. He is a member of Chester United Methodist Church.

Surprising him with their attendance to the picnic were Emerson’s parents, George and Mildred Emerson; his wife, Darlene Emerson; his children and son-in-laws, Carrie and Matt Coyner, Megan and Luke Carson, and Amy Emerson with her fiancé, Josh Smith. His sister, Boni Smith, was also there to enjoy the presentation of the award.

George and Mildred Emerson raised their children in Chester, and Mildred Emerson is “so proud” for her son and family. “When you have two children close by, and they have their children and then there are grandchildren – we are just two lucky people,” she says. Of her son’s win, she adds, “He’s humbled by it. He’s always looking out for everyone else.”

Other attendants at the ceremony were equally pleased by Emerson’s win. Sam West, a founding member of the CBA and Bob Shrum, a recipient of the award in 2004, both think highly of Emerson and the sacrifices he has made and the hard work he has done in the community. Barney Laughlin, a fellow builder and developer in the Village Green and surrounding community, says, “He’s very deserving of the recognition. He’s done a lot for the community and is very family-oriented, including bringing his family into the business.”
Long-time friend Warren Jessup says, “The dream is the drive. The work’s hard. It doesn’t just come to you.”

After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed steaks prepared by the CBA chefs and fixings catered by Wild Rose Café.  The riverside view was a delightful setting for the early evening gathering.

Meetings for the association are the third Thursday of each month, running September through June.  For more information about the CBA, visit chesterbusinessassociation.com.

lfausz@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421

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