DAVID CHANDLERChamber award winner

Ninety percent of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce’s members are small businesses.

This morning, the chamber of commerce honored one of them, naming David Chandler, the owner of Chandler Real Estate, the 2006 Small Business Person of the Year.

Chandler briefly thanked his friends, his support structure, and the chamber of commerce for the award.

&#8220Bowling Green has been a great place to call home to live, prosper and follow your dreams,” Chandler said. &#8220It’s an honor to be included with the nominees for this year, and to be on the list of greatness along with Johnny Webb, (Mike) Buchanon and (Mike) Murphy.”

The small business person of the year is selected by previous recipients, Rick Kelley, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, said.

A native of Owasso, Okla., Chandler came to Bowling Green to attend Western Kentucky University. After earning a bachelor of science degree in geology in 1982, he started a career in the oil and gas business as a geologist.

Not long after that, Chandler returned to Bowling Green at the age of 26 to work as a Realtor, earning his broker’s license seven years later.

In 1993, Chandler began his own business in real estate and managing properties.

Chandler recently broke ground on a new 130-room-hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, located across the street from the Sloan Convention Center.

Other ventures include a 40-acre development, containing a 320-unit apartment complex, retail space, and the new Bowling Green Social Security Administration office.

Chandler will be the keynote speaker of the Small Business Appreciation Luncheon on May 2 at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Chandler said he looks forward to sharing his life’s story.

Other nominees for this year’s award included Barry Thompson of Allstate Insurance; Thad Connally III of First Choice Home Medical; Todd Mason of Total Fitness Connection; Johnny Douglas of Broadway Florist; Mike Fuqua of Party One Superstore; and Joe Davis of Gerald Printing Services.

Past recipients of the Small Business Person of the Year Award include Bowling Green mayors Johnny Webb and Sandy Jones, Carroll Hildreth, B.J. Booth, Cornelius Martin, Bill Jackson, Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon, Harold Brantley, Rick Kelley, David Wiseman, Al Baker, Joe Natcher, Mike Murphy, David Bradford, Curtis Sullivan, Doug Gorman, Steve Sheldon, Jim Johnson, Tim Earnhart, and Chris Thompson.

The Small Business Appreciation Luncheon is one of several activities planned for Small Business Appreciation Week scheduled for May 1-5.

&#8220Small business week gives us the opportunity to tell the story of the American dream, the struggles and the triumphs, and the way people give back to our community,” Kelley said.

The public is invited to attend.

– For information about this and other events, call Jennifer Breiwa at the Chamber for more information, 781-3200.