He drew parallels between his military service and how people can be effective leaders in their personal endeavors. He spoke of how good leaders respect their team and how they can find the inner strengths of team members.

He said a good leader will find the team members’ hidden talents. He also said a good leader will listen to the team.

“Take risks on your troop’s ideas,” he said. “If the idea is a success, the team member gets all the credit. If it fails, you (the team leader) takes the fall. If you do that, your team will follow you anywhere,” he said.

He also said another lesson he learned in the military was that troops will mimic the leader’s behavior. If the leader loses his or her cool, the troops will lose it as well. He said the best option as a leader is to stay calm.

“Calm is contagious,” he said.

Denver was a Navy SEAL commander on missions in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and elsewhere across the glob. He also is founder of Ever Onward, which helps people learn essential skills that people can use to prosper.

Throughout the evening, several businesses and individuals were honored with awards. Awards presented included:

• Navy Commander LeAndra Kissinger was presented with the Ken Hendricks Community Spirit Award. Kissinger was the commander of the USS Beloit as it went through commissioning and its first activity as a new Freedom Class littoral combat ship. She made many visits to Beloit with crew members of the USS Beloit to forge a bond between the community and the crew of the ship that bears the community’s name.
• Marc Perry, executive director of Community Action of Rock and Walworth Counties, was given the Laurence Raymer Headliner Award. Perry has been with Community Action for 19 years and has been executive director for five years. Community Action offers a variety of programs for young people and families to provide strength and security of the family unit. He soon will embark on a program to establish a day care, with openings for up to 70 children, at the Next Steps Family Resilience Center in Beloit, in partnership with Family Services.
• Stainless Tank and Equipment was honored with the Large Business of the Year award. Stainless Tank and Equipment recently completed. its new 400,000-plus square foot facility and promises to add up to 100 new jobs in the Beloit area.
• Next Generation was named Small Business of the Year. The business focuses on building modern homes.
• Brian Thomas of Brian Thomas Photography was named Entrepreneur of the Year.
• Linda Ross was presented with the Paulette Christensen Ambassador of the Year. Ross volunteers as a Chamber Ambassador and is executive director of Beloit Meals on Wheels.
• Andrew Galauner was named Rising Professional of the Year.
• The Non-Profit Agency of the Year was Family Services of Southern Wisconsin. The agency is about to open the Next Steps Family Resilience Center, which will have 18 apartment units for families in need of housing.
• The Walter Knight Diversity Award went to Ron Whitley of Father and Sons Cleaning.