Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce honors Willis
The Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce last month honored Apalachicola’s Helen Ausley Willis with its Trailblazer award.
Presented to women for their career success and their leadership role in volunteering and community service, the Trailblazer recipients, selected by the chamber’s Women Business Council, are chosen for the example they set to inspire and empower women in the community to assume leadership roles.
“I am incredibly humbled and grateful to have been selected and honored among fellow trailblazers,” said Willis, who is the wife of Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith.
“Celebrating women who advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion, it was a distinct honor to be selected as an awardee. I am honored to be among such amazing women recognized today who are making their own “dent in the universe” as keynote speaker Rashad Ali, so eloquently brought to light in her address,” she said.
“Let us all remember our ‘Why’ and continue to embrace our passions and servants’ hearts as we forge ahead as community trailblazers and bridge builders,” said Willis, who attended the June 14 luncheon in Tallahassee together with daughter Parlin and son Grady.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.