BALDWINSVILLE — Barbara Donaghey has been selected to receive the 2016 Greater Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce (GBCC) Business Person of the Year award.
She will be honored at the GBCC Business Person of the Year Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 29 at the Red Mill Inn in Baldwinsville.
Awarded since 1988, this honor recognizes the contributions of outstanding business people in the Baldwinsville area, and “celebrates a business person who has demonstrated a commitment to local economic development,” the chamber said in a news release. The recipient also “embodies exemplary and ethical business practices in addressing quality, customer service, and social responsibility.”
Donaghey, along with her husband Bill, is the owner of the Nantucket Cat, a gift shop for cats and cat lovers. Established in 2004, the Nantucket Cat is a well-known business in the village of Baldwinsville, the chamber said.
Donaghey hosts fundraising events at Nantucket Cat that benefit local animal welfare and rescue organizations. She is also one of the founders and organizers of Au Chocolat, a boutique shopping event in the village of Baldwinsville held each November. This “extremely popular event” brings hundreds of people into Baldwinsville and benefits participating businesses and also all shops and restaurants in the village, the chamber contends.
Donaghey’s commitment to the community and the local economy extends to her volunteer work for The Museum at the Shacksboro Schoolhouse. In addition to working at the annual Peony Fest, Donaghey has also played an active role in selecting merchandise for the museum gift shop.
Sharon Lighton, owner of Anana’s Trinkets & Teacups, nominated Donaghey for the award.
The other people also nominated for this year’s GBCC Business Person of the Year award were: Lindsy Luu, owner of Lindsy Luu Agency – State Farm; Mary Slater, business manager for Friends of Beaver Lake; and Lynn Tanner, executive director of the Radisson Community Association.
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