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ALBANY, GA -- Lamar Reese has a long list of what he’s been involved with.

“I have served on my Board of Education for some 16 years, have served as chairman of the County Commission, chairman 13 years Board of Education, I’ve been president of the Georgia School Board Association,” says Reese.

His extensive work in Albany is why he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at Thursday’s Albany Chamber of Commerce Black Tie Barbeque.

“They let me know last week. I thought she was teasing!” says Reese.

The Chamber also awarded the Small Business of the Year, Not For Profit of the Year and Ambassador of the Year.

“It’s always important to receive recognition for a job well done. It doesn’t matter if it’s an individual achievement or in this case achievements by our business community,” says Catherine Glover, President of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber is recognizing those who work hard in our community Reese says it takes just that: hard work.

“The things that I did didn’t happen overnight. I did it over a long period of time,” says Reese.

Through an auction, the Chamber also recognized local artists and their contributions to growing local business.

“When businesses look to an area, they often look to your quality of life, your arts, your culture, your access to higher education, your educational attainment rates and so on,” says Glover.

Art and business working to make Albany better.

Even though Reese received recognition for his past work, he says it doesn’t mean he’ll stop. He says he can’t imagine a day not working and “my wife can’t imagine a day of me being home either!” he says.

Ambassador of the Year is Leonard Montgomery from WSWG TV, Small Business of the Year is Home Helpers of South Georgia and Non-Profit of the Year is Chosen to Conquer.