HAMPTON ROADS, VA – The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce is pleased to host the inaugural Valor Awards on Friday, April 19 from 8:00-9:30a.m. at the Virginia Beach Convention Center (1000 19^th Street). This event provides the Hampton Roads business community an opportunity to thank and recognize local police, fire and EMS personnel for extraordinary acts of courage and resourcefulness in the line of duty.  Honorees, their families, and area business leaders will gather to hear the moving and inspiring accounts of bravery and amazing stories of the lives that were saved by these selfless rescuers.  WVEC-TV 13 News Anchor/Reporter Vanessa Coria will serve as emcee.

Award Winners

-Ultimate Sacrifice & Gold Medal of Valor: Officer James Winslow, Suffolk Police Department

-Silver Medal of Valor: Officer Jonathan Williams, Chesapeake Police Department

-Silver Medal of Valor: MPR Timothy Hamed & Officer Justin Trout, Virginia Beach Police Department

-Bronze Medal of Valor:  Probationary Police Officer Chelsea Parker, Virginia Beach Police Department

-Bronze Medals of Valor: Captain Brian Lee, Lieutenant Jerry Bohn, Firefighter Kyle Billips, Firefighter Charles Cook & Firefighter Kurt Johnson, Chesapeake Fire Department

Lifesaving Awards:

Officer K.O. Aldrich                                    Norfolk Police Department

Senior Firefighter Joseph C. Asbell           Suffolk Fire Department

Officer W.E. Collard                                    Norfolk Police Department

Officer Edward Cunningham                      Virginia Beach Police Department

Firefighter Medic II Terry S. Davenport      Suffolk Fire Department

Senior Firefighter David W. Dickens          Suffolk Fire Department

Sergeant Steve Jenkins                             Portsmouth Police Department

Captain William T. Kessinger, Sr.              Suffolk Fire Department

Mr. Barry Krischner                                    Virginia Beach EMS

Lieutenant Taz A.  Lancaster                     Suffolk Fire Department

Firefighter Medic II Colton S. Pulley          Suffolk Fire Department

Captain Chris Riley                                    Portsmouth Fire Department

Officer Jason Saburn                                 Chesapeake Police Department     

Officer C.J. Scallon                                    Norfolk Police Department

Officer Rachael Thomas                            Chesapeake Police Department

                                                                                                                                                         The Excellence in Public Safety Award will be given to the Virginia Beach Fire Department for their response to the FA-18 Jet Crash on April 6, 2012. 

Tickets to the Valor Awards are $40 per person. To register, visit https://Events.HamptonRoadsChamber.com. For more information, contact Shirley Core at score@hrccva.com or 757-622-2535.

Thanks to sponsors: TowneBank (Presenting); JES (Platinum); Virginia Beach Convention Center (Gold); Sentara Healthcare (Medal of Valor Sponsor); WVEC 13 News (Media); Dale Carnegie Training of Eastern Virginia-Wade Powell & Associates, GEICO, T2 Training- Trauma Training FX, Inc. (Silver).

About the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce (www.HamptonRoadsChamber.com)

The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit, member-based business organization. The Chamber is a vigorous advocate for the economic success of its nearly 2,000 member businesses, which employ more than 280,000 men and women in southeastern Virginia.  The Chamber promotes Hampton Roads’ healthy business climate through economic development, public policy initiatives, services and benefits to members.  The Chamber is dedicated to creating economic opportunity and enhancing the quality of life in Hampton Roads.

###