The Brundidge Business Association honored Brundidge Electronics Corporation as the Business of the Year and Sasha Tuck and Anne Rene Bentley as Teachers of the Year at its annual banquet Thursday night.

In presenting the business award to Dr. Johnny Wright, founder and owner of BEC, BBA President John Ramage called the relationship between the electronics company and the city a “town and gown” partnership.

Wright is a former principal of Pike County High School and continues to be a strong supporter of the local high school and its Business and Finance Academy, as well as Pike County Elementary School.

Wright accepted the honor with gratitude and told the gathering that BEC started because of family, employs family and would not have been successful without family.

“The city of Brundidge provided us a place to operate and then we were able to purchase the building,” Wright said. “We have expanded and need to expand again. In the last six months, we have added between 25 and 30 employees and are working two shifts. We’ve not made any money but we have been blessed.”
Wright expressed appreciation to the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, the EDC and the three local banks that have helped him “wade the waters.”
”At BEC, we are all family and Brundidge is one family and we love Brundidge. That’s why Brundidge is a part of our name,” Wright said in closing.

Ramage recognized Anne Rene Bentley as the high school Teacher of the Year. Bentley was attending a graduate class and was unable to attend the banquet.

Pike County Elementary School Principal Willie Wright presented the Teacher of the Year Award to Sasha Tuck, who has taught kindergarten at PCES for eight years.

Wright said Tuck is an outstanding teacher whose belief is that it takes a village to raise a child.

Tuck expressed appreciation for the honor and for the privilege of teaching at a unified school in a unified community.

“I work with talented and skilled professionals,” she said. “It is my belief that every teacher at Pike County Elementary School is a teacher of the year.”
The BBA officers for the year 2011 were introduced. Dixie Shehane will serve as president, Chuck Caraway was vice president, Dorothea Dow as secretary and Glenda Gunter as treasurer. The directors for the New Year are Ernestine Beacham, Rue Botts, Isabelle Boyd, Linda Dansby, Jennifer and Michael Lawler.