Chamber Hosted 2017 Annual Meeting, Honoring Public Servants and Chamber Volunteers
(Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce news release, February 7, 2017)
Chapel Hill, NC – On Feb. 2, 2017, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce hosted its Annual Meeting presented by Europa Center and SunTrust Bank. The Chamber honored four individuals with awards in addition to hosting UNC President Margaret Spellings as keynote speaker.
2016 Chamber Board Chair Anthony Pugliese presented three awards during his remarks. The 2016 Chair’s Award for Public Private Partnership was awarded to Joe Milazzo, executive director at the Regional Transportation Alliance.
Full citations for all award winners are listed below. For photos of the 2017 Annual Meeting, visit the Chamber’s Flickr account at flickr.com/photos/carolinachamber and please credit Carter Hubbard.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro (NC) Chamber of Commerce is a business leadership organization serving the greater Chapel Hill, NC community. The Chamber serves and supports the business interests of its more than 1,250 members and helps create a sustainable community where they can thrive.
The 2016 Chair’s Award for Public Private Partnership:
Joe Milazzo, executive director at the Regional Transportation Alliance
Now 14 years as the Executive Director of their organization, this individual convenes elected officials, senior government staff, technical experts, and the business leaders to solve problems. He is delightfully impatient and jokes that the mission of his organization is not “Let’s get ready to” nor “Let’s think about doing something,” nor “Why don’t we study this, but not do it.” Instead, the impactful motto of his organization is “Let’s Get Moving.” Please join me in recognizing the CEO of one of this region’s most relevant and effective business leadership organization, The Regional Transportation Alliance’s Joe Milazzo, the recipient of the 2017 Chair’s Award for Public Private Partnership. When you are on the road – whether in your car, on the bus, on the sidewalk, or even the shoulder – you should think of and thank Joe Milazzo. RTA is a chamber of commerce-based regional business leadership and advocacy group focused on advancing transportation policy, priority and funding solutions in our entire region. Under Joe’s leadership, RTA has successfully advocated for the construction, enhancement, and advancement of more than 250 miles of freeway and improvements at 7 existing or proposed interchanges. He also spearheaded the Multimodal 54 initiative, which ensures that Chapel Hill and Carrboro are not cut off from the rest of the Triangle region. Joe launched the Air Service Advancement Project (ASAP) private sector marketing initiative as well, culminating in a Paris flight in 2016, making RDU the only non-hub US airport with two nonstop transatlantic flights. Additionally, Joe coordinated the creation of our state’s first “Bus on Shoulder System” or “BOSS” to reduce transit travel times between Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh, now including 60 shoulder miles as one of the largest BOSS systems in the United States. Congratulations, Joe – what a BOSS you are! We’re grateful for your leadership in the region and in our Chamber.