- April 24, 2024
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John Distler, of Yellowstone Landscape, with his wife, Flagler County Judge Melissa Distler. Yellowstone won Large Business of the Year. Photos by Aleksey Volchek
Catherine Evans, chair-elect of the Flagler Chamber, poses with Mark Langello, who was installed Feb. 1 as this year's chairman. Photos by Aleksey Volchek
Johnny Lulgjuraj, Robbin Wilson and Anna Romanina. Lulgjuraj, owner-operator of Oceanside Beach Bar and Grill, which won the Hospitality and Tourism Business of the Year. Photo by Aleksey Volchek
Sal Passalaqua, Jeanna Passalaqua and Allen Whetsell represent the winner of Professional Services of the Year Award, Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home, Memorial Gardens and Crematory.
Gary Perkins
Casey Ryan and Mark Langello
Nando and Kelly Rivera
Lisa Stewart
Chrissie and John Birney
Bob and Joanne Updegrave
Daniel and Patty Murphy
Larry Newsome
Kim Carney
Helga van Eckert and Lea Stokes
Haylie Allegra, Melinda Rivera
Mike Richards and Gaylee Tillotson
Cindy Dalecki and Joey Blumenfeld
Greg and Jacqui Davis
Eric Cooley and Suzie Johnston
Heather and Kirk Keller
Jeremy Pombier
Barbara and Howard Holley
Matt Morton
Matt Metz
Earl Johnson, Shelley and Jason Wheeler
Allen Goodman
Maria Lavin-Sanhudo
Janice Nickol
Robyn Cottrell and Bart Berry
Cornelia and James Manfre
Jeff Reaves and Wendy Sydeski
Janet Malecki Kaj
Becca Bower
Mark Langello
Andrew and Emily Trotter
J.B. Birney and Mark Langello
Jordan and Christy Butler
Vincent Sullivan
Walker Douglas and Mark Langello
Jason and Rebecca DeLorenzo
John and Nancy Walsh, Lauren Lewis and Rebecca DeLorenzo
Nick Klufas and John Walsh
Jaclyn and Tyce Moore
On Jan. 31 the Flagler Chamber of Commerce held its 2020 Gala and Business Awards, as well as the installation of its 2020 board of directors.
The winners of the business awards were as follows:
Individual award winners were as follows:
The Observer spoke to Mark Langello, chair-elect of the chamber’s board of directors and co-founder of M & M Development, about his perspective on the chamber's future, the awards and the county's economy.
Do you have any immediate plans as chair-elect of the board of directors?
No, but the chamber has got a plan we’ve been working on, which is re-evaluating the chamber and what we do, to be more relevant to the community in what we do. We have groups of people who are working individually on different elements. It’s premature to say “OK, this is what we’re doing.”
What do you think needs to change about business in Flagler County? Has anything changed for the better this past year?
You always strive to be more business-friendly, with consideration to what the community as a whole wants. So we could always make improvements. One of the issues has to do with permitting and construction, and how that can be better streamlined. Obviously economic development is something where we need to not take our foot of the gas. It decreases the local residence tax, and the community needs to have businesses pay that uneven load of taxes. There’s always room to improve the business environment.
We’ve seen some very positive changes in Palm Coast. The staff, the people at City Hall are great now. There are things we’ve been fighting to get done for years, and now they’re getting done.
How do you feel about the winners at the gala?
I think everybody’s a winner. I think all the companies are deserving of their recognition. I felt very good about the quality of them, in business success and also employee and customer satisfaction. Even the ones that didn't were deserving of awards. They were all good this year.
What are your prediction’s for the county’s business future?
Everyone can give you a prediction for the future. In my personal role as a contractor and a developer, the activity level we’re seeing is indicative of a very strong forecast for our future in the short term, in maybe one to two years. There’s investment. We see a new hospital coming here; that’s a huge thing. We see the expansion Palm Coast has been able to pull off with UNF; that’s major. New apartments, new restaurants — all these point to growth and an environment worth investing in. As a developer, I’m seeing these things as they come in, because people are coming to us with their plans. My outlook is positive for the next couple years.
