George Trammell of the Marion Area Chamber of Commerce, received the highest award in the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE) during our 2007 Annual Luncheon and Awards Presentation on November 8 at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield, IL.

The Distinguished Illinois Chamber of Commerce Executive Award was begun in 1991 to recognize the exemplary performance and leadership of an Illinois chamber executive with their local chamber, community and to the chamber profession. The award is named in honor of Lester W. Brann, Jr., CCE, the first recipient of the award and past president of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
  
The award recognizes the long-term professional career achievements of the candidate. Criteria to be evaluated includes experience, training and education, service to IACCE and other professional organizations, service to Chamber colleagues, ethical conduct in dealing with others, a highly developed sense of professionalism, leadership and an abiding desire to advance the profession of Chamber management. Non-professional criteria to be evaluated includes participation in the community (non Chamber related), to include civic, religious, charitable, educational and other related activities.
 
Trammell has been a long time member and board member of the IACCE  and has chair a number of committees including the Professional Development Committee and Government Affairs Committee.  A few members of the IACCE nominated Trammell for this award and the board of directors voted to approve his nomination unanimously.

Past Winners of the Brann Award include:

1991-  Lester W. Brann, Jr. (Illinois Chamber of Commerce)
1992- Richard J. Lutovsky (Metro Decatur Chamber of Commerce)
1993- Charles C. Isely, III (Lake County Chamber of Commerce)
1994- James H. Beaumont (Illinois Chamber of Commerce)
          E. Stanley Klyber (Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce)
1995- Carol M. Beese (Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce)
1996- William O. Browning (Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce)
1997- Shirlean Langdon Hackman (Danville Area Chamber of Commerce)
1998- A. J. "Toche" Terrones (Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce)
1999- Norma Lansing (Greater Effingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry)
2000- John R. Thompson (Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry)
2001- Michael D. Seward (Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce)
2005- Rick Baker (Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce)
2006- Mike Badgerow (Morton Chamber of Commerce)
*New in 2007 - George Trammell (Marion Area Chamber of Commerce)