Business

Merchants honor business leader of the year

Melissa Maurer received the 2014 Clifton J. Shipman Award from emcee Don Holder during the 13th annual Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association dinner.

By Bill Moss, Published: April 29, 2014

Don Holder said this year's recipient of the Clifton J. Shipman Award from the Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association's was someone who "enjoys telling people where to go."

"She has a history of telling it like it is," added Holder, who served as emcee for the 13th annual awards dinner at the Cedars downtown. The Shipman award winner, Melissa Maurer, told people where to go through her participation for many years in a Henderson County public schools career development day at BRCC.
The owner of Blue Ribbon Custom Frame Shop at 414 Kanuga Road, Maurer is well known as a longtime School Board member, Chamber of Commerce volunteer and advocate for both small business and children.
Her passion "has been kind of selfish," she said, "because I have kids and I own a business."
Holder said a list of Maurer's non-profit board service and achievements would be too long to read. Highlights include her service as a PTO president and Girl Scout leader and service as a leader, board member or volunteer for the Hendersonville Elementary School PTO, Girl Scouts, Red Cross, Smart Start, the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Hendersonville Inc., the Boys & Girls Club and Henderson County Education Foundation. She was named a Champion of Children in 2003 and a Small Business Leader by the Chamber of Commerce in 2007.

She has been a member of the School Board since 1998 and is retiring when her term expires in December. She did not file to run for a fifth term.
Cast members of the 'Fantasticks' performed for the Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association.As a young girl growing up here, Holder said, a meter maid named Inez caught her riding her bicycle on the sidewalk. The meter maid warned her that she would tell her mother if she caught her again.
"Let me tell you, that was the only (naughty) thing I could find," Holder said.
"Thank you for not talking to my friends," Maurer quipped.

A 1978 graduate of Hendersonville High School, Maurer earned a degree from Appalachian State University. She is the daughter of Bob and the late Elaine Laney.
Actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse's production of "The Fantasticks" performed before the dinner. Violinist Brooke Walker provided dinner music.
The Merchants Association started the Clifton J. Shipman Community Service Award in 2002 with Shipman himself, a longtime business owner and civic leader. Others were Doris Eklund, 2003; Steve Easler, 2004; Carson Calton, 2005; Boyd A. "Bub" Hyder, 2006; Sammy Williams, 2007; Doc Moore, 2008; Sandra Walker, 2009; Don Holder, 2010; Chat Jones, 2011; Danny Williams, 2012; and Pat Shepherd, 2013.