Brian and Tricia Sisson received the 2015 Robert T. Cashion Business Persons of the Year award. Pictured are Bill Russell, Bobby Cashion and outgoing board chair Mike Russell. Photo by John McHugh

There was a big turnout—200 people—for the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce annual gala Friday night at The Peninsula Club. What the attendees heard and saw was an apparently unified business organization ready to do battle with Gov. Pat McCrory and the Charlotte Chamber.

RELATED: Powerpoint presentation on the Lake Norman Chamber’s 2015 awards

Mike Russell presents the Duke Citizenship and Service Award to Dr. Hemstreet and Dr Donna Warren, owners of LakeCross Veterinary. Also pictured is Tim Gause, Region Director for Duke Energy and Bill Russell, Chamber President. Photo by John McHugh.

Plenty happened Friday night:

• Outgoing 2015 Chairman Mike Russell said he might package up and mail the Lake Norman Chamber’s bi-state award for best chamber to the CEO of the Charlotte Chamber just to let him know who he’s dealing with.
• Organizers of WidenI-77.org and the I-77 Business Plan, the key anti-toll groups, received special awards from the chamber, a not-subtle rebuke to pro-toll politicians who were definitely not in attendance.
• Keynote speaker Ray Evernham, a superstar in the NASCAR galaxy, openly criticized the NCDOT, saying the organization lacked common sense and compassion.
• Callan Bryan officially took over as the 2016 chamber chair.
• Brian and Tricia Sisson, owners of The Range at Lake Norman, were given the Robert T. Cashion Business Persons of the Year Award. Dr. Tom Hemstreet and Dr. Donna Warren, founders of LakeCross Veterinary, received the  Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award.
• Bill Russell, the CEO of the Lake Norman Chamber, received a special award and video tribute in honor of 20 years at the helm of the 1,000-member organization.

Russell, who said he was totally surprised by the award, said everywhere he goes, someone mentions I-77 and the plan to toll the stretch between Lake Norman and Charlotte for the next 50 years.

Former Chamber chairs said Russell has done a good job over the years, leading a diverse group of business people.

MOFFETT

Donna Moffett, one former chair, was there 20 years when Russell was hired back when the organization was known as the North Mecklenburg Chamber of Commerce. Insurance man John Cherry was the founder of the chamber, veteran Lake Norman businessman Richard Wilson was the chairman during the search, Moffett says.

No one thought he would stay more than five years, she says.

“His resume was impressive then, and he has lived up to our expectations. If you have ever heard Bill speak or deliver a public invocation, you would think he would be more suited to be a Southern Baptist minister. As a former chamber chairwoman myself, I can attest that his leadership style is neither flamboyant nor self-absorbed. He provides counsel and guidance to board members with a long-term vision of what the Lake Norman community can be and should become,” Moffett said.

In addition to helping manage through the chamber’s strong position on the $650 million toll plan, Moffett outlined Russell’s accomplishments:

1. Membership growth and retention, as well as maintaining value for chamber membership, even through economic downturns.
2. Name change from North Mecklenburg to Lake Norman, to identify with the area’s largest asset.
3. Championing sales tax issues, including fighting for allocations to local towns from prepared food tax, etc.
4. Transportation issues surrounding NC 73 and I-485, and working to create a Tri-Country Transportation Task Force
5. Focusing on area town collaboration issues
6. Transitioning from a Lake Festival to the popular Business Expo
7. Creation of a separate and distinct Travel and Tourism Authority—Visit Lake Norman
8. Working with locals for the Certificate of Need approval for a hospital in Huntersville
9. Moving to the existing location in order to increase exposure and provide a more modern facility.