Grindstone Award Recipients

Honoring Outstanding Contributions from Outstanding Citizens of Berea

Since 1967, the Berea Chamber of Commerce has presented the Grindstone Award to outstanding citizens who have contributed their time and effort through volunteer service to make Berea a better place to live. The winner is chosen based on nominations received from members of the community each year.

In 2016, the Berea Chamber of Commerce expanded the awards program to also include the Courtesy and Rising Star Awards. The Courtesy Award acknowledges employees from businesses in the city of Berea who have gone above and beyond in their line of work to serve their customers and the general public through the Courtesy Award. Courtesy Award recipients are selected based on nominations from members of the community who have been positively impacted by the nominee, including employers, supervisors, coworkers, customers, students, or the general public. The Rising Star Award recognizes a new business that has already made a strong and positive impact on the community. The recipient is selected by the Berea Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees.

In 2022, the chamber added a new award category, the Future Leader Award. This award is presented to high school or college students who are excelling in both their areas of study as well as in their service to the greater community. We are excited to recognize them as the future leaders of our region. 

The Grindstone, Courtesy, Rising Star, and Future Leader Award winners are honored at an awards banquet which takes place each year in September.

Nominations are accepted on a rolling basis, however the deadline to submit a nomination for 2023 consideration is July 31, 2023.

Learn more about the criteria and submit a nomination by clicking on the button below.