Marco Chamber Celebrates Community Leaders

The 2025 Marco Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Awards were presented on Friday, January 24 at the Hideaway Beach Club. The event sees the Board of Directors sworn in for the next year, and the new President, Bill Morris, take the gavel from outgoing President Colleen Long, who had served for the last two years. 

The event also recognizes the newest graduates from Leadership Marco, the Class of 2024. That class would consist of Wendy Bahner, Lisa Consolo, Sean Duggan, Margo Heidenreich, Debra Henry, Becky Irwin, Dominico Palma, Tony Richards, John Riley, Jill Sandberg, and Rachel Schenk. 

Leadership Marco introduces the class to everything about the city and county, teaching them how the community works, from MIPD and Marco Fire/Rescue and county agricultural farms to recreational opportunities and even a history tour on the genesis of Marco. 

Outgoing President Colleen Long announced the Business Recognition Award, which was given to Island Eyes Investigative Services. Owners Daniel Collardey and Dina Schleifer were on hand to accept the award. 

Marco Island Chamber President and CEO Dianna Dohm presented the award for Volunteer of the Year. Individuals who had previously received the award and were in attendance were called up for recognition before Dohm announced the 2024 winner, Susie Walsh, who received a warm reception from attendees. 

Walsh is known to many in the audience because of her involvement with various community organizations and participation in public events. Walsh belongs to a myriad of organizations, including being a volunteer at the Chamber. She is known by some as “Queen of the 50/50 Raffles” at most nonprofit events. She and husband Dave Walshare a staple at most affairs, and with this award, some wondered whether they would need to build another closet for festive costumes, another hallmark of Walsh and her community involvement.  

The second award presented by the Chamber was for the Citizen of the Year. Unlike Volunteer of the Year, this year’s recipient was not as well-known and stayed mostly out of the limelight. However, he has become a mainstay to all those who have been part of the fabric of this community and have provided so much joy toothers. As was with the Volunteer of the Year, the past recipients of the Citizen of the Year came forward for the announcement of Greg Schneider as Citizen of the Year. 

Over the years Schneider has been an integral part in making so many island events and projects successful. Whether it is Christmas Island Style, the Big Flag Committee who installed the large flag at the base of the Jolley Bridge, the YMCA Carnival held years ago at the fledgling Veterans Park, the layout of the portable classrooms 26 years ago when the Charter Middle School began in its infancy, helping bring the Vietnam Wall to the island three times, the Marco Island Seafood Festival, and the original Taste of Marco are just some of the things he has been involved with. Not one to seek the limelight or look for a pat on his back, Schneider cares deeply about the island and its people.