Vanice Serrano, owner of ASAP Towing & Storage, Co. was named the JAX Chamber 2013 Small Business Leader of the Year on Thursday during the organization's 128th annual meeting at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
"This is such a surprise. I'm just a Westside girl with a tow truck company," said Serrano.
Serrano established the company in 1995 with a tow truck and one office. It has grown to a fleet of 18 tow trucks with five offices and a staff of 32 employees.
She was chosen from a group of 10 small business leaders of the year, selected from each chamber council.
The other nominees and their businesses were: Bruce Bradley of Bradley & Associates Insurance; Jeremy Morgan, Krystal Klean; Jonathan Smith, Naugle & Smith; Gina Hill, G.M. Hill Engineering; Erick Wilson, TEC Works; Zeke Benavides, IT Promise; Charley Tyler-Trubey, Mary Kay-Charley Tyler-Trubey; Deborah Eveson, Allstate Insurance – Deborah Eveson; and Michele McManamon, Sandler Training (North Florida).
The annual meeting also recognized immediate past chamber President Wally Lee, who stepped down as the organization's leader at the end of last year and will retire in March.
Mayor Alvin Brown and chamber leaders took the opportunity to thank Lee for his service to the Jacksonville community.
"For more than two decades Wally's leadership has been a common denominator in all the things that shape our future," said Brown.
The mayor proclaimed Jan. 24 as "Wally Lee Day" in Jacksonville and presented him with a key to the city.
"I'm going to stay involved as a member of the chamber and I am going to help in other ways to continue working to make this region a great place to live and work," said Lee.
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