Contributed report

All Systems Are Go for the Chesterfield County Chamber of Commerce’s Banquet.

The annual awards celebration and installation of officers will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27, at the Holiday Inn Koger Conference Center located at 1021 Koger Center Boulevard, Richmond.

Donner Grigsby, NASA engineer and NASA Langley’s 2004, 2005 and 2006 Speaker of the Year, will be the keynote speaker.

He will focus on “Lessons Learned From Exploration” and how to apply those lessons to the business world.

He also will share footage from NASA projects and missions.

The 2012 Chamber Board of Directors will be inducted and awards for Business of the Year and Member of the Year will be presented, along with a presentation of The DuPont’s Community Heroes.

Grigsby, originally from Michigan, is a graduate of Old Dominion University and Christopher Newport University.

As part of his thesis he created a prototype micro-gravity strength training system intended for use aboard the International Space Station and deep space missions.

He was recruited by NASA for their six-year Engineering Technician Apprentice Program, where he graduated at the top of his class, and he was trained to design model aerospace vehicles. 

The black-tie optional event begins with business networking and cocktails at 5:30 p.m.

The dinner and program starts at 7 p.m.

Register online at www.ChesterfieldChamber.com by Wednesday, Jan. 24.

Ticket price ranges from $50 to $60.

For more information, call the chamber at 748-6364, ext. 2 or e-mail admin@chesterfieldchamber.com.

Sponsors for this event include DuPont, Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center, Classic Party Rentals of VA, Magic Special Events, Networking Technologies and Support Inc., WWBT TV, NBC 12, Owen & Owens PLC, Chesterfield Economic Development, Richmond Times-Dispatch, ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center, Balzer and Associates, BizWorks Enterprise Center, Bryant & Stratton College, Community College Workforce Alliance, Divine Staffing, Dr. Baxter Perkinson & Associates, Chesterfield County Public Schools, Costco Wholesale, Holiday Inn Koger Conference Center, Huntington Learning Center-Midlothian, Kaeser & Blair Promotional Products, Main Line Broadcasting, McGuire Woods LLP, Ramey|Michael Business Law Group, PC, TeamLogic. 

More than 600 businesses strong, the Chesterfield County Chamber of Commerce works to serve, protect, and promote the common interests of its membership and the business community. As a unified voice, the chamber provides leadership and vision for the advancement of economic prosperity and an exceptional quality of life for Chesterfield
County.