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WOMEN RULE: Volk, McCall win top honors at Chamber dinner

Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk received the G. Ray Cantrell Lifetime Service Award from Chamber President Bob Williford while Craig DeBrew of Duke Energy presented Citizenship and Service Award to Rebecca McCall. [JULS BUCKMAN/Juls Buckman Photography]

By Lightning Reports, Published: February 9, 2026

Two leaders who have made significant contributions to Henderson County during their service in elective office received the top awards on Jan. 29 during the 103rd Annual Dinner and Awards Program of the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce at Blue Ridge Conference Hall at BRCC.

The program featured the ceremonial passing of the gavel from outgoing Chair of the Board Ragan Ward, who served during 2024-2025, to incoming Chair Bill McKibbin who will lead the Chamber during his 2026-2027 term.

The dinner and program event was presented by Duke Energy and Horizon Heating & Air, and supported by Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Optimum, Park National Bank, Patton Allen Real Estate, Stuller Power Solutions and United Community Bank. This year’s theme of “No Place Like Home” was brought to life through Wizard of Oz inspired décor, including a playful cutout of Ward as Glenda the Good Witch.

It was an evening of triumph by women, as Ward took a bow for her chamber leadership and women won the top two awards of the night and swept all four Ambassador awards.

G. Ray Cantrell Lifetime Service Award

Barbara Volk. The highest honor the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce bestows, the G. Ray Cantrell award is presented each year to an individual whose lifetime of service has made a lasting and meaningful impact on the community.

Volk earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics Valparaiso University, became a registered parliamentarian, a trained medical records administrator and even spent time providing computer services.

Since her arrival in Hendersonville in 1975, Volk has served on countless boards, committees and task forces, lending her time, expertise and steady leadership to local governments, nonprofit organizations and community initiatives.

In 1989, she became the first woman ever elected to the Hendersonville City Council. Twenty years later, in 2009, she was elected mayor, becoming the first female mayor of the city. She served during a time of tremendous growth and change, helping guide the community through expansion while remaining firmly committed to preserving Hendersonville’s historic charm, strong sense of place and exceptional quality of life.

Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award

Rebecca McCall. Presented each year to a member of the community who, over the course of many years, has made an extraordinary and lasting impact in Henderson County. Like past recipients, McCall has exemplified leadership during times of crisis, launched initiatives that strengthened the community and helped create amenities that continue to enrich the lives of our citizens. Through collaboration with educators and community leaders, a task force McCall formed to help disconnected youth identified key priorities—most notably, expanding access to transportation so students could fully participate in school activities. As a result, shared minivans were provided among nine schools, removing a major barrier for many students. The task force launched the Pathfinders Mentoring Program in the fall of 2024.

As chair of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners during Hurricane Helene, the greatest crisis the community has ever faced, McCall demonstrated exceptional leadership through decisive action, creative problem-solving, encouragement of others and hands-on involvement.

She continued a proud family tradition: Her grandfather, Clyde Jackson, also served as chair of the County Commission. Three recreational initiatives connect Rebecca and her grandfather: Jackson Park, through the donation of land that became the heart of recreational activity in our community; the Ecusta Trail, through advocacy and support for Henderson County’s newest and most anticipated recreational amenity; and Berkeley Park Recreation Complex, representing another major advance in recreation. Through her leadership, vision, and service, McCall has strengthened the community in lasting ways—during times of growth and in moments of crisis.

Other awards

Randy Hunter of sponsor Hunter Subaru presented Top 4 Under 40 awards to Alex Guilfoyle, Justin Moody, Gabrielle Juba and Jamie Carpenter.

Top 4 Under 40. Presented by Hunter Subaru, the award honors exceptional young professionals who exemplify leadership, innovation and dedication in four categories:

• Community Impact: Jamie Carpenter. A visionary leader whose creativity and dedication produced measurable impact, Carpenter leads efforts to transform downtown Hendersonville’s businesses and community landscape. As the city’s point person for the Friends of Downtown, she has been instrumental in expanding special events management with signature community gatherings and events, including the Hendersonville Farmers Market, Garden Jubilee and the Bearfootin’ Bear Art Walk & Auction.
• Entrepreneurial Excellence: Dr. Gabrielle Juba. Owner of Juba Forensics, Juba has shown entrepreneurial excellence by highlighting ways to creatively solve problems by helping businesses digitalize and streamline their processes for better financial planning. Beyond her business, she serves on multiple boards, including the Veterans Healing Farm and Blue Ridge Honor Flight.
• Rising Star: Justin Moody. Manager of two highly successful Hilton-flagged properties in Henderson County, Moody chairs the Ambassadors program for the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce. His dedication keeps ambassadors engaged and helps events run smoothly while also handling public speaking for many Chamber events like AM Power Hours and Business After Hours.
• Rising Star: Alex Guilfoyle. A leader at College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving of WNC, Guilfoyle exemplifies HUNK’s  mission to “move the world” by serving others and making meaningful differences every day. He leads a fast-moving, 40-plus person operation full time while also taking classes to complete his degree at UNC-Asheville in environmental science.

Ambassador of the Year presented by Four Seasons Foundation. Throughout the year, the chamber’s volunteer Ambassadors earn points for their efforts, and those points are used to identify ambassadors of the quarter. The Ambassador of the Year award is presented to the Ambassador with the most points overall. Quarterly recipients were:

• Q1 – Elizabeth Estrada – Rule Your World Marketing
• Q2 – Cindy Novak – 1 Tom Plumber, Asheville
• Q3 – Amanda Ivey - Optimum
• Q4 – Kimberly Triana – Fidelity Bank

Year after year, Ambassador of the Year is Cindy Novak has continued to set the standard for what it means to be an Ambassador of the Chamber. She is consistently on hand to help, at Business After Hours, AM Power Hour, nearly all of the chamber’s ribbon cuttings in 2025 and other events.

Small Business Leader presented by The Van Winkle Law Firm.

Small Business Leaders of the Quarter for 2025 were:

·      Matt Johnes, Hannah Flanagan’s Pub

·      David Riddell, Big Frog Custom Tees

·      Todd & Anne Smith, College HUNKS

·      Mike & Keith Summey, Summey Plumbing

Small Business Leader of the Year Matt Johnes is a passionate advocate for downtown Hendersonville and is engaged with downtown development efforts — having served for many years as a member of the city’s Downtown Advisory Board. When he’s not in the pub, he can often be seen “on the street” assisting customers or the “wandering” tourist who is in need of information or guidance. He gives back to his community as a partner of Work With Heart, a group of business owners who worked with the Community Foundation of Henderson County to consolidate charitable giving. During hurricane Helene, Hannah Flanagan’s doubled as a free charging station for residents from all over Henderson County.

“Matt is a testament to excellence in business ownership,” said past Chamber president Dan Poeta. “His commitment to the community is a shining example, sharing both product and profit to numerous organizations. In a business where turnover is constant, Matt has built a lasting culture through kindness and generosity.”

Camp Industry Leadership Award presented by United Community Bank. The Youth Summer Camp Industry, which includes more than 20 youth summer camps in Henderson County, generate a combined economic impact of more than $120 million a year across Henderson, Buncombe, Jackson and Transylvania counties. While many of local camps have deep and longstanding histories, the camp industry honoree represents a camp that is intentionally different. Founded in 1991 by Jim Bob and Nancy Wilson, Camp Wayfarer is a relative newcomer by camp standards. On purpose, it’s smaller than most — allowing for deeper relationships and truly exceptional camper experiences. Recently, the founders passed the reins to their daughter, Mary Kenson W. Lewis, who now leads Camp Wayfarer. In 2024, just months before the camp season was to begin, a fire destroyed the camp’s main dining hall. Undeterred, Lewis rallied her team, adapted quickly and led the camp through a highly successful season. She has also continued the family tradition of service beyond the camp gates, becoming a strong voice for the youth camp industry and actively supporting organizations that benefit both camps and our wider community.

Environmental Sustainability Award presented by Sierra Nevada: City of Hendersonville. Past recipients of the sustainability award represent a wide range of industries—from manufacturing and retail to hospitality and government. They all share a common commitment to “doing good” in the community while proving that sustainability is also “good for business.” In 2024 the city took a major step forward by developing a comprehensive Sustainability Strategic Plan, focusing on energy, transportation, waste management, land management and water.

In just a year and a half, the city is already seeing impressive, measurable outcomes in greater efficiency and energy cost savings.

In July 2024, the city installed its first rooftop solar system, generating an estimated 48,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually. Other sustainability initiatives involved water and sewer, the city’s motor fleet, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, waste reduction and water conservation.

Education Champion Award presented by Four Season Rotary: Executive director of the Henderson County Education Foundation, Peggy Marshall is a lifelong educator and leader whose career spans more than three decades in Henderson County public schools. Throughout her career, she has served with distinction as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal, before stepping into her current role with the Henderson County Education Foundation. She was named Henderson County Principal of the Year for the 2015–2016 school year, and then the Regional Principal of the Year and was instrumental in implementing the Leader in Me framework at both Sugarloaf elementary and Apple Valley middle schools.

Industrialist of the Year Award presented by DMJPS: Jabil and Kevin White, director of operations at Jabil. Manufacturing is, quite simply, the backbone of Henderson County’s economy. In 2023 alone, manufacturers in Henderson County employed more than 5,000 people and generated more than $350 million a year in payroll.

After purchasing an existing facility in Buncombe County, Jabil made a bold commitment to Henderson County by expanding operations and completing a brand-new plant in Garrison Industrial Park in 2022. Employment at the facility continues to rise and now exceeds 300 team members, supported by a total investment of $75 million. Jabil’s commitment to the community includes a substantial contribution to the LOVE HENDO Business Recovery Grant Fund after Helene, support for Habitat for Humanity, the United Way and other non-profits, collaboration with Blue Ridge Community College on training and apprenticeships and support for Chamber programs.

Non-Profit of the Year Award presented by AdventHealth Hendersonville: Safelight. Previous recipients are the Storehouse, Veterans Healing Farm, the Community Foundation of Henderson County, Interfaith Assistance Ministry, the Children & Family Resource Center and the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County.

Since 1984, Safelight has served as a vital source of safety, support and hope for individuals and families impacted by interpersonal violence, abuse, and exploitation. Over the past four decades, more than 46,000 individuals in the county have found guidance, healing and resources through Safelight’s compassionate and comprehensive services. By offering coordinated services in one secure location, Safelight provides survivors counseling, medical exams, forensic interviews and more, all while knowing their entire family, including pets, is safe. Through its job training program, Safelight ensures that survivors are empowered to work toward financial independence by gaining valuable skills and experience.

First Citizens Bank Customer Service Award: Goldsmith by Rudi!

In a world where customer service is often rushed or transactional, Goldsmith by Rudi stands as a shining example of what it means to serve with heart, integrity and genuine care. For 50 years on Main Street, this family-owned business has built a reputation for fine craftsmanship and built lasting relationships rooted in trust and connection. Through their five decades of dedication, consistency, and heartfelt service, Goldsmith by Rudi has set a gold standard for customer experience, proving that exceptional service is built on kindness, integrity and a genuine love for community.