Community leaders honored at Chamber’s annual Small Business Awards Celebration

On Tuesday, three area professionals were honored by the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce at the annual Small Business Awards Celebration for their leadership, creativity and commitment to our business community. Keith Jackson, founder and owner of Jackson Plumbing, Heating & Cooling in Decatur, was named the Raymon Baker - John Cook - Ralph Jones Small Business Person of the Year; Jacob Ladner, CEO of Thirdmark Capital in Decatur, was named the Arthur Orr Young Professional of the Year; and Danielle Gibson, President and CEO of Decatur Morgan County Tourism, was named the Lynn C. Fowler Non-Profit Professional of the Year. The luncheon was held at the Doubletree by Hilton Decatur Riverfront.

Keith was born and raised in Hartselle and graduated from Morgan County High School. He earned an associate degree from Calhoun Community College and opened Jackson Plumbing Inc. in 1987. He added HVAC in 2016 and purchased Drain Pro in 2018. Keith's personal mission statement is to teach people not only a trade, but how to have a happy successful life. Keith currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Chamber and the North Alabama Better Business Bureau. He is vice president of the Kiwanis Club of Decatur. Keith's business was recognized as Best of the Best by the Decatur Daily in 2017 and received the Better Business Bureau's Torch Award for business ethics in 2021. Keith is married to Lori and they have three daughters: Ashley, Emily and Meagen and six grandchildren.

Jacob Ladner grew up in Decatur and attended Decatur Heritage Christian Academy. He then went on to attend the University of North Alabama. After graduation, Jacob started his career with Interstate Billing Service in Decatur. In his 11 years with the company, he grew to the position of Vice President - Sales and Client Experience, helping the company grow to $2.5 billion in annual sales. In October of 2021, Jacob took on the role of Chief Executive Officer for Thirdmark Capital in Decatur. Jacob was also elected to the Decatur City Council in 2020, and currently serves as the Council President. He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Decatur. Jacob and his wife Erika have been married for 10 years, and they have three children: Bennett, Hallie, and Claire.

Danielle Gibson graduated from Brewer High School then attended The University of North Alabama earning a Bachelor's in Business Administration. She worked as an insurance agent and served as President of the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce before becoming president and CEO of Decatur Morgan County Tourism four years ago. Since Danielle stepped into her current role, her creativity and vision have served the community and visitors. A few of her undertakings include the MoCo Cares Movement, the MoCo Mural Trail and becoming a Tennessee River Line community. She is a Decatur Morgan County Excellence in Leadership Graduate and a Rotarian. She currently serves as the Incoming Chairwoman of the Board of Directors for the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. She also serves on the River Clay Fine Arts Festival Board of Directors and Celebrating Early Old Town with Art Board of Directors. She has been married to her husband, Jesse, for 16 years, and they have two boys, Noah and Cohen.
Winners of each award are selected from nominations submitted by the Chamber membership and evaluated by committees of past honorees. The event is made possible by Presenting Sponsor King Insurance Agency and Gold Sponsors Express Employment Professionals and Renasant Bank.

About the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce: Founded in 1931 by the late Barrett C. Shelton, the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit membership organization promoting business and commerce for the Decatur-Morgan County area through volunteer leadership in economic, political and social development. For more information on any Chamber initiative, contact the Chamber at (256) 353-5312 or visit www.dcc.org.