The Gazebo Gazette

MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST (GG) — The Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Hancock Chamber of Commerce, Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, and Jackson County Chamber of Commerce announced recipients of the 2025 One Coast Awards on Tuesday, April 15 at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss. during the annual One Coast Awards breakfast attended by over 400 participants.  

Community Leader:

  • Dr. Racheal Butler, Butler Pharmacy
  • Christian Hartley, Cadence Bank
  • Casey Hill, Merchant and Marine Bank
  • LaWanda Jones, Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce
  • Laura Lacoste, Butch Oustalet Foundation & Rain Residential
  • Amanda Pidgeon, Hancock County Schools
  • Susan Russell, Singing River Health System
  • Premo Sabbatini, Ingalls Shipbuilding
  • Heather Smith, Butler Snow, LLP
  • Misty Stevenson, Elite Care Home Care

Top 10 Under 40:

  • Jennifer Cain, Generations Health Care
  • Caroline Haas, Haas & Haas Attorneys
  • Vikki Huggins, Memorial Health System
  • Shala Ladner, Skydweller Aero
  • Anna Claire Perronne, Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce
  • Briana Dubaz Pfarrer, The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation
  • Janet Schnurr, WLOX
  • Laithan Simmerman, Carr Allison
  • Benjamin Weldon, Ingalls Shipbuilding
  • Keith Williams, Jr., BankPlus

The One Coast Awards were started in 2002 by the Sun Herald and were named in honor of the long time publisher Roland Weeks as the Roland Weeks Hall of Fame, the Top 10 Under 40 and Community Leader Awards. Recognizing the wealth of outstanding business and community leaders across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the awards were developed to recognize community leaders and strong, up-and-coming young business leaders. 

The program and awards have been continued with the coastal Chambers of Commerce (Mississippi  Gulf Coast Chamber, Jackson County Chamber, Hancock Chamber and the Ocean Springs Chamber) organizing and administering the program to carry on the ideal that One Coast is a regional belief that our common interests far outweigh any difference; an awareness that what benefits one, ultimately benefits all; a celebration of our unique communities and an attitude of no boundaries. 

(Front Photo L-R:  Christian Harley, LaWanda Jones, Amanda Pidgeon, Premo Sabbatini, Misty Stevenson, Heather Smith, Susan Russell, Laura Lacoste, Casey Hill, Dr. Racheal Butler.  Inside Photo L-R:  Caroline Haas, Shala Ladner, Briana Dubaz Pfarrer, Laithan Simmerman, Keith Williams Jr., Ben Weldon, Janet Schnurr, Anna Claire Perronne, Vikki Huggins, Jennifer Cain.  Submitted by MGCCC.)