Businesses in and around Hope Mills gathered to recognize local businesses and boogie like it was 1980 at their 2023 Annual Banquet & Awards Ceremony held on Saturday, May 13.
After celebrating the success of the HMACC Golf Tournament held in early May, announced by Chamber leadership as the most profitable and successful of the Tournaments thus far,
$1,000 of the proceeds were donated to local Hope Mills Charity, the Associated Local Ministries in Service Helping Others in Unfortunate Situations and Experiences (ALMS) house.
“We're really hoping that these funds can really grow back toward impacting our community here. So thank you guys, for helping us make this possible,” shared Chamber President Casey Ferris. “So thank you guys helping us make this possible, and thank you to the ALMS House for everything you do for our community.”
The night was used to award businesses as voted by the community in four categories.
The winners include:
Member of the Year: Casey Ferris
Non-Profit of the Year: VFW Post 670
Business of the Year: Harmony at Hope Mills
Best New Business: Scented Wicks
It was also announced that all of the current HMACC Board Members would be remaining in their positions for new terms:
Anne Marie Ziegler
Melannie Armstrong
Dave Yensan
Kathryn Locklear
Joanne Scarola
Greg Adair
Rebecca Gibbs
Nathan Hwang
The event, hosted with a 1980s prom theme, also crowned a Prom King and Queen for the night based on audience response to the most 80s person there. The Title of Prom King went to Jamie Jacobs of I-95 Muscle and Prom Queen went to Brenda Leidholdt with BluSky Restoration Contractors, LLC.
At center, Chancellor Darrell T. Allison and Juanette Council, Ed.D., vice chancellor for student affairs, cut the ribbon to celebrate the grand reopening of Fayetteville State University's newly renovated Spaulding Building, joined by campus leaders
FCEDC has officially moved its staff and operations to 611 W. Russell St. The 35,800- square-foot center was previously home to Homemakers Furniture and Interiors. Renovations began in the fall of 2025 and are expected to be completed in the next six to eight months. Currently, FCEDC staff are working within an open 7,500-square-foot floor plan as initial improvements progress.
Inset: Systel’s first corporate headquarters was a small rental house turned office on Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville in 1981. Large photo: The company’s new corporate headquarters reflects years of growth into a multi-million dollar company that pr
