Community leaders, volunteers and organizations were recognized Wednesday during the fourth annual Madison Visionary Awards, highlighting the people and projects shaping the city’s continued growth.
Hosted by Madison Visionary Partners at the Jackson Center, the annual luncheon celebrated standout service across Madison while also awarding community grants to support local initiatives.
“This is such a good reminder of the amazing city that we live in,” said MVP Executive Director Christina Hearne. “We just have so much generosity and dedication to our city.”
Award winners and finalists recognized
This year’s top honorees included:
- Youth Volunteer of the Year: Joshua Macri
- Community Volunteer of the Year: Crystal McBrayer
- Philanthropic Business Person of the Year: Scott and Amy Edwards
- Visionary of the Year: Paul Finley
Finalists were also recognized for their contributions to the community.
For Community Volunteer of the Year, finalists included Trina Bishop, Crystal McBrayer and Miranda Nichols.
For Philanthropic Business Person of the Year, finalists included Scott and Amy Edwards, Summit 7 and Eugene Jung, and Champy’s of Madison.
For Youth Volunteer of the Year, finalists included Blake Lugos, Kendall Lugos and Joshua Macri.
Visionary of the Year reflects on service
Paul Finley, former mayor of Madison, was named Visionary of the Year, an honor presented by last year’s recipient, Marc Jacobson. In his remarks, Finley reflected on the city’s growth and the critical role volunteers continue to play in shaping its future.
“You know, it’s pretty neat to be standing in this area right now, right next to the number one city in the state, the number one school district in the state, the number 7th best county in the nation, the 9th best city in the nation,” Finley said. “It is a blessing to have been the mayor. It is a blessing to be in this community.”
Mayor presents inaugural community champion award
Madison Mayor Renee Bartlett presented the first-ever Mayor’s Community Champion Award to Pastor Spencer Beach of Building Church, recognizing his leadership in helping families relocate from the Sutton Apartments during a time of crisis.
“He didn’t wait to be asked, he showed up,” Bartlett said. “That kind of compassion is not common. That kind of leadership, quiet, servant hearted and rooted in genuine love for people is exactly what makes Madison more than a city. It’s what makes Madison a community.”
Beach credited the broader community for the effort.
“When that situation arose, I just thought to my mind, what can we do? How can we help? How can we step up?” Beach said.
“And I would really like to take credit for some of it. But the truth of the matter is there were hundreds of people in our community, many organizations, churches, civic organizations, businesses, individuals, students, schools, school leaders who should call, begin to call and say how can we help in this effort to take 30 families and get them moved out of one location into another location in less than 7 days.”
Community grants awarded to local organizations
In addition to the awards, MVP distributed $13,050 in Community Impact Micro Grants to seven organizations: Madison Arts Alliance, National Children’s Advocacy Center, Madison City Community Orchestra, Huntsville Hospital Foundation–Madison Hospital, Madison City Schools, SS4Kids, and the Huntsville-Madison County Library Foundation–Madison Library.
Organizers said the grants are designed to enhance quality of life across Madison through targeted, community-driven projects.
Celebrating a culture of service
The event underscored a central theme: Madison’s continued success is driven by its people.
“One of the elements of Madison’s success is its people, and MVP strives to honor the volunteers who work every day to build community in our city,” said Hearne. “Many of them are working behind the scenes, and these awards give us the opportunity to bring their contributions into the spotlight.”
From student volunteers to business leaders and longtime public servants, organizers said the annual awards serve as a reminder of the impact individuals can have when they invest in their community.
