Adams County Chamber Unveils Edge of Excellence Nominees, New Leadership Award

Four Adams County residents are vying to become the first-ever recipient of the Dan Ferguson Leader of the Year Award, a newly created honor the Adams County Chamber of Commerce unveiled alongside its full slate of 2026 Edge of Excellence nominees this week.

The leadership award is named for a former Chamber president whose tenure the organization credits with catalyzing local collaboration and growth. Nominated for the inaugural prize are Mary Jane Campbell of Campbell's Consulting, Haley Jo Davis of ACRMC Family Medicine, Dan Wickerham of Adams Brown Community Action Partnership, and Curtis Anderson.

The Entrepreneur of the Year category draws from across the county's business landscape: Chris Brown of Peebles Monument Company, Cory Kuttler of Close-Up, Brooklyn Young of Lace & Grace Boutique, and Taylor Price of Taylor Rae Esthetics.

The awards themselves carry a new name this year. Business Coordinator Randi McFarland-Franklin explained the rebranding directly: "We chose the name 'Edge of Excellence' because we want to encourage our leaders and businesses to always thrive for excellence in every aspect of their service." Chamber Chair Jason Francis struck a similar tone, saying the nominees represent talent whose "contributions are recognized as part of our collective legacy."

The gala is scheduled for April 30 at McCoy's at Poplar Flat, under the theme "Homemade in the Heartland: Celebrating America's 250th," a nod to the national semiquincentennial. Scholarship recipients connected to the Chamber's program will be recognized at the event and receive complimentary admission, though guest tickets for scholars are limited.

Francis called the full nominee list "truly remarkable," a description that reflects the breadth of sectors represented: healthcare, consulting, nonprofit service, retail, and the trades. For a county where economic development conversations are rarely far from the surface, an event that puts small business owners and civic leaders in the same room carries weight beyond the awards themselves.