Missouri chamber honors local business, legislator

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry honored a local business and legislator late last week.

The awards were presented at the state chamber's annual meeting held Nov. 20 at White River Conference Center in Springfield, according to a news release. More than 200 people attended the event.

Stockton-based Hammons Products Co. and state Rep. Alex Riley, R-Springfield, were among the honorees.

Black walnut processor Hammons Products Co. received the Champion of Enterprise Award, according to the release.

"In 1946, founder Ralph Hammons saw opportunity growing in the wild. He purchased a cracking machine and began buying native black walnuts from Ozarks residents who gathered them each fall," Missouri chamber officials said in the release. "More than 75 years later, the company remains proudly family-owned, transforming Missouri’s native black walnuts into a thriving statewide industry."

Riley was selected for the state chamber's Spirit of Enterprise Award for his work on pro-business legislation. The release pointed to Riley's "steadfast advocacy on behalf of Missouri employers and his commitment to strengthening the state’s business climate."

Additional Missouri chamber award honorees are as follows:
• Missourian in the Arena Award: Rudy Farber, chair of Community Bank & Trust in Neosho
• Defender of Business Award: State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, and Rep. Sherri Gallick, R-Belton
• Chamber of the Year Award: Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce