Business Council of Alabama board of directors’ member Ronnie Boles of Huntsville has been honored with the highest award presented by the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County.
Boles, who is co-chair of the BCA’s Manufacturing Advocacy Council and is the owner of General & Automotive Machine Shop in Huntsville, was named the recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Service Award, the highest award presented to a local volunteer by the Huntsville/Madison County chamber.
BCA President and CEO William J. Canary said Boles is the epitome of a true leader in Alabama’s business community.
“Like so many others, we have been the beneficiaries of his inspirational example, professional expertise and tireless efforts to advance education and workforce preparedness in Alabama,” Canary said. “Over the years, he has taught us at BCA to meet every challenge we face with good humor, optimism and kindness and that one person can turn impossible challenges into realistic opportunities.”
Boles’s impressive volunteerism includes co-chair of the BCA’s Manufacturing Advocacy Council, a BCA board member, co-chair of the BCA’s Education and Workforce Preparedness Committee, a board member of the National Association of Manufacturers, chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, chair of the Northeast Alabama Workforce Advisory Council, chair of the Huntsville Utilities Electric Board, a champion of the high school Career Coaches program, and a tireless advocate for stackable, portable manufacturing workforce credentials.
Jim Bolte, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, said Boles, who is defined by his passion, serves in voluntary positions because of his dedication to the manufacturing industry and its workforce.
“I’ve always been impressed with his support for advanced manufacturing initiatives,” Bolte said. “But, I really appreciate his genuine care and concern for the employees in Alabama who actually create and make things. He knows that nothing happens without them.”
-Dana Beyerle