The Washington County Chamber of Commerce hosted its 26th Annual Business Awards event the evening of February 26 at The Maryland Theatre. Over 450 guests attended. Community members and leaders of local businesses and nonprofits happily mingled before the winners were named.
The At Your Service award is given to a business or nonprofit with employees in Washington County that delivers exceptional service to its customers or clients. The 2025 award recipient was Free Range Cafe. Free Range Cafe is a thoughtfully curated eatery that serves responsibly sourced, seasonal meals crafted with care.
The Small Non-Profit of the Year Award is given to a 501(c)(3) organization providing exemplary services and/or programs with 15 or fewer employees and a physical address in Washington County. The recipient receives an unrestricted grant of $500, made possible by the Community Foundation of Washington County, Maryland. The 2025 award recipient was Children’s Village of Washington County. This non-profit provides life safety education to second-grade students in Washington County, with a long-term goal of ensuring the children leave their two-day training with knowledge and skills to address the number one cause of death and/or disability for children under the age of nine: unintentional injury. Children’s Village has provided safety training utilizing emergency responders, police professionals and educators to over 80,000 students since 1990.
The Large Non-Profit of the Year Award is given to a 501(c)(3) organization providing exemplary services and/or programs with 16 or more employees and a physical address in Washington County. The recipient receives an unrestricted grant of $500, made possible by the Community Foundation of Washington County, Maryland. The 2025 Large Non-Profit of the Year Award recipient was Star Community. This non-profit is supporting people with
disabilities in achieving their goals and living a meaningful life filled with opportunity.
The Small Business of the Year Award is given to a business with 15 or fewer employees and a physical address in Washington County that has demonstrated any or all of the following: product or service quality, innovation, community involvement, high standards in business practice and a commitment to Washington County and the community. The 2025 Small Business of the Year Award recipient was Meinelschmidt Distillery. Since 2020, Meinelschmidt Distillery has been committed to producing the highest quality whiskeys and bourbons, using Washington County-grown grains. Meinelschmidt Distillery is heavily involved in the local community.
The Medium Business of the Year Award is given to a business with 16-50 employees and a physical address in Washington County that has demonstrated any or all of the following: product or service quality, innovation, community involvement, high standards in business practice, and a commitment to Washington County and the community. The 2025 Medium Business of the Year Award recipient was Valley Mall. Not only does the mall provide national brands, it also cultivates new small businesses and hosts community events. Valley Mall has remained a central retail and entertainment destination to Hagerstown and the four state area for over fifty years.
The Large Business of the Year Award is given to a business with 51 or more employees and a physical address in Washington County that has demonstrated any or all of the following: product or service quality, job creation, innovation, community involvement, high standards in business practice, and a commitment to Washington County and the community. The 2025 Large Business of the Year Award recipient was Noel’ s Fire Protection. This local business installs, services and inspects automatic fire protection sprinkler systems. Noel’ s gives back to various charitable organizations around the community, and has created many jobs in Washington County.
The Young Professional of the Year Award is given to a young professional, who, during the last year, has demonstrated excellence in business and/or non-profit leadership, and is active in Washington County, while demonstrating leadership skills. Nominees are not required to own a business, and they must be under the age of 40 as of December 31, 2024.
The 2025 Young Professional of the Year Award recipient was Ms. Ashton Vattelana. She is a Financial Advisor at Edward Jones and recently received the #1 Client Service Excellence award for the region. In 2024, she served as the Women’s Inclusion Leader for the region, and she also is a Field Training Leader. Vattelana serves on the board for the Meritus Healthcare Foundation and she also participated in The Arc of Washington County’ s Dancing with the Arc Stars event to raise funds. Additionally, she sits on the United Way Community Impact Committee and sponsors and hosts The Chamber’ s monthly Coffee and Connections event.
The Business Person of the Year Award is given to a professional who, during the last year, has demonstrated excellence in business and/or nonprofit leadership, enhanced the image of the Washington County business or non-profit community, and has provided superior service to the community as a whole. Nominees are not required to own a business, and must be at least 40 years old as of December 31, 2024. The 2025 Business Person of the Year Award recipient was Mr. Howard “Blackie” Bowen. He played a pivotal role in bringing the multi-purpose sports facility, now known as Meritus Park, to Hagerstown, along with the new professional baseball team, the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. Bowen is also the sole owner of Antique Crossroads and also Ewing Oil Co., Inc. He supports numerous community organizations in Washington County and has contributed greatly to the economic development of the area, as well as the quality of life for local residents as well as visitors.
The Legacy Award is given when warranted to an individual that has built a legacy in Washington County, and the award recipient is selected by The Chamber. The individual receiving this award will have held leadership roles in the community and left a significant impact through their career achievements and/or community service. The individual awarded this honor encompasses leadership and an exceptional work ethic. They have consistently performed above and beyond normal expectations throughout their career.
The first-ever recipient of the Legacy Award was Mr. Adna “Ad” Fulton. He owns AC&T, which offers many different services in the Tri-State area, including heating fuel, propane, convenience stores, portable toilets, mobile storage, petroleum products, liquid waste handling, transport services, plus heating and cooling. Fulton has enjoyed giving back to the community over the years, and his contributions have made a lasting impact for countless Washington County residents. Fulton’ s three sons operate AC&T today, and they continue to keep the business diversified, placing emphasis on their employees and their families.