Franklin-Southampton County Chamber of Commerce holds annual banquet
Published 9:23 am Wednesday, April 3, 2013
In front from left are Scott Seeley, Eddie Myers, Sarah and Glenn Rawlings, Kim Croak, James Copeland; back, George Mumford, Chris Fatherly, Darrell Wyche, Randy Croak and Thaddeus Edwards. Not pictured are Willis Scott, Stan Piersa, Charlie Lynn and James Carr. They comprise Rawlings Mechanical Corp. in Courtland, which was recently honored as Business of the Year by the Franklin-Southampton Chamber of Commerce. — MITZI LUSK/TIDEWATER NEWS
FRANKLIN—The Franklin-Southampton County Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet Thursday, March 28, at Cypress Cove Country Club.
Bobby Cutchins, owner of Bobby’s Muffler and Tires, will be the Franklin-Southampton Area Chamber of Commerce president for 2013. Above, Cutchins addresses the crowd at the chamber’s annual banquet last week. — MITZI LUSK/TIDEWATER NEWS
Rawlings Mechanical Corp. of Courtland was honored as the chamber’s Business of the Year for 2012. Upon accepting the award, president Glenn Rawlings thanked his parents, his employees, the customers and vendors for helping make the business what it is today.
Glenn’s parents, Robert “Buck” and Irma Rawlings, started the business in 1958 and Glenn came into the business in 1972, becoming president in 1985. The company has 12 full-time employees.
Outgoing Chamber President Michael Clark passed the gavel to incoming president Bobby Cutchins. Clark is vice president and general manager of WLQM radio in Franklin, a third-generation family owned business. He will continue to serve on the Chamber’s Executive Committee and in Richmond on the Virginia Chamber’s Small Business Committee.
Cutchins, whose business of Bobby’s Muffler and Tire Pros, Inc. has been a chamber member since 1982, looks forward to his tenure in office. He has been in business for 31 years and is president elect for the Virginia Automotive Association as well.
Cutchins said his goal and vision as president is “to make sure the chamber members understand the value of the chamber.” He stressed that he is committed to working with and for the chamber to “make this region a better place in which to do business.”
He plans to work with the chamber’s board closely to “share his vision and share their vision.”
He said, “I want to search for ways our businesses can support each other with marketing products and services.”
In conclusion, Cutchins offered this quote, “Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried,” saying it is a quote he uses often and that it applies to the chamber going forward. “We’ve got to keep the vision going.”
Bobby’s Muffler and Tire Pros is a family business in that he serves as president; son Robby is general manager; and wife Diana and daughter Tonya run the office.
In regard to his desire to serve as president, Cutchins explained, “I have appreciated how the community has supported us (the business) and now it is my turn to give back.”
He enthused that the board of directors is a great team and he is “excited to work with them.”
