It seems like just yesterday when we were finishing up last year’s Best of the Pine Belt contest, but here we are again! This coming Monday, May 1, begins the nomination phase for this year’s FestivalSouth Best of the Pine Belt, sponsored by Southern Eye Center. From home builders to hair stylists, custom cabinets to craft cocktail concocters, you can nominate your favorite local businesses and people.
We were overwhelmed last year when you nominated your favorites over 120,000 times, and we can’t wait to see this year’s nominations. Simply go to hubcityspokes.com and click on the link to voice your opinions. You can nominate once each day for each category through May 22, so nominate early and often. The businesses and professionals who receive the most nominations make the finalists list, so every nomination counts!
Developing the list of finalists is always an interesting experience. These days the computer does the work, unlike the days in the no-so-distant past when we had to tally paper ballots. I remember buying pizza for the staff as we worked late into the night preparing the list!
What never changes is that there is a long list of businesses and professionals that seem to show up year-after-year on the list of finalists. These are the business owners and professionals who took risks and were successful at developing businesses that have made a true impact on our community. These folks drive our economy and make the Pine Belt what it is – a truly special place to live and work. Nothing makes you prouder of your community than scrolling through this list.
You will see the complete list of finalists in the July issue of Signature Magazine, and the voting period is July 5th through July 24th. The winners will be announced in our August issue.
Christina Pierce is the publisher at Hattiesburg Publishing, which produces The Pine Belt News and Signature Magazine.
