(Telegraph photo by DEAN SHALHOUP) Former state representative and Nashua Mayor Donnalee Lozeau traces highlights in Nashua's history for members, guests and honorees at Wednesday's Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce Eminance Awards Luncheon. City Community Development Director Matt Sullivan, right, spoke about Nashua's future, while Rich Lannan spoke about present-day Nashua.

NASHUA — Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce members, guests and Eminence Awards recipients heard from three guest speakers at Wednesday’s 19th Eminence Awards luncheon, and came away having learned a few more things about Nashua’s history, of how things are going in the present, and of what the future may have in store in the months and years to come.

The three presenters — former state representative and Nashua Mayor Donnalee Lozeau, businessman and downtown property owner Rich Lannan, and city Community Development Director Matt Sullivan — spoke about Nashua’s past, present and future, respectively, a panel discussion that served as a prelude to the announcement of the Eminence Award winners in each of the seven categories.

The winners:

* Chamber Champion of the Year: Donna Bailey, New England Career Services

* Community Volunteer of the Year: Dr. Amir Toosi, Rivier University

* Young Professional of the Year: Cecilia Ulibarri and Manuel Ramirez, Positive Street Art

* Business Leader of the Year: Brian Law, of Law Logistics

* Nonprofit of the Year: Greater Nashua Mental Health Center

* Small Business of the Year: Pearl Marketing

* Business of the Year: Lovering Volvo

Lozeau, currently the CEO of Southern New Hampshire Services, touched upon a bit of her own family history in Nashua, recalling growing up on French Hill as a third-generation American descended from Canadian immigrants — most all of whom worked in Nashua’s booming textile industry.

She also shared one of her fondest childhood memories of visiting the Nashua Public Library when it was at 6 Main St.

More on the three speakers’ presentations, along with brief bios and photographs of each of the Eminence Awards winners, will be included in a full story in The Sunday Telegraph.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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