Chamber of Commerce presents Gold Seal awards

    The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce recently honored several residents at its 40th annual Gold Seal Awards dinner at the Inn at Villa Bianca in Seymour.
    The Gold Seal is presented to the region's business and community leaders who exemplify the spirit of selflessness and volunteerism.
    Norman Santa, 1997 Gold Seal Recipient, received the 2011 Platinum Award.  This award is presented to a past Gold Seal recipient who is still dedicated to volunteering on behalf of the Valley community.
    Santa was a mentor in the Shelton School System, director and president of the Housatonic Council, Boy Scouts of America and director and chair of the Nominating and Building Committees for the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.
    He was also a director with the Hewitt Foundation, United Methodist Homes and a corporator at Griffin Hospital and the Valley United Way.
    The 2011 Gold Seal recipients are: Suzanne Reilly, Randal Ritter and Naomi
Wallace. 
    Reilly is a corporator with Birmingham Group Health Services and Griffin Hospital as well as serving on the advisory committees for the Griffin-Yale
Prevention Research Center, Volunteer Action Center, The Greater Valley Salvation Army, Children and Poverty. She is also involved with the Ansonia Rotary Club, Ansonia School Readiness Program, Valley Council on Philanthropy, and the Ansonia Prevention Policy Board.
    Ritter has worked with Troop 3 of the Housatonic Council , Boy Scouts of America, for many years.
    He is active with the Derby Historical Society, as a board member and past president of the Society. He was instrumental in helping to mark the historical trolley line throughout Derby.
    Ritter serves as committee chair for Venture Crew 1762, which involves youths ages 14-20 who share an interest in local history. In addition, for several years, he was responsible for organizing Derby Day for the Derby Cultural Commission.
    Wallace has made her career in positions that support individuals in the community. She is a lifelong member of Clinton AME Zion Church.
    Wallace is the mayoral appointee to TEAM, Inc., chairwoman of the Board of the Valley chapter, American Red Cross, president of the Riverside Tenants Association, and life member and parliamentarian of NAACP Branch 2000. She is a member of the Julian Augustus Taylor Scholarship Committee.
    The 2011 Silver Medal Award went to the Youth Leadership Council of the Valley United Way.