Weekly Luncheons
Mondays at Noon - Hyatt on Main
333 Main Street >>More
Rick Chernick Selected for 2010 Free Enterprise Award
Rotary Club of Green Bay Honors Chernick for Business and Community Excellence
(Green Bay, WI) The Rotary Club of Green Bay today announced that Rick Chernick, CEO of Camera Corner / Connecting Point will receive its 2010 Free Enterprise Award on Monday, May 3, 2010, in Green Bay. He is the 28th recipient of the prestigious award.
The Free Enterprise Award recognizes people and organizations in Brown County that exemplify American free enterprise. Upon learning of his selection for the Free Enterprise Award, Chernick said, “I am greatly honored to receive this award. I appreciate and understand the importance of this recognition and I am humbled to be included among the great business leaders who have received this in the past.”
Chernick embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship as CEO of a technology business that is constantly growing and embracing new technologies in order to help its clients achieve their own business success. Rick’s father, Norman, opened Camera Corner in 1953 in an 800 square foot retail location in downtown Green Bay. It had three employees. As video became a part of American life, the firm began selling and servicing industrial video tape equipment and eventually added a video showroom at a west side Green Bay location. Rick always worked in the business and when he graduated from UW-Green Bay in 1974 he continued to move up the ladder; being named Vice President in 1975 and CEO in 1984.
As he assumed leadership of the firm, Rick saw opportunities in the changing world of technology and wanted to be on the leading edge of providing quality technology products and services to his clients. In 1989, Rick capitalized on the explosive growth in professional industrial video and computers by opening “Camera Corner / Connecting Point” in a new, state-of-the-art, 35,000 sq. ft. facility in downtown Green Bay. This facility offers centralized warehousing, accounting, sales, service, showrooms and a training room. Currently there are more than 100 employees, including the firm’s President, Earl Neville, who has worked with Chernick for more than 40 years. The firm, which has clients throughout the Midwest, has sales representatives and engineers in Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau covering the state of Wisconsin as well as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Annual sales top $40 million.
It’s no surprise that Camera Corner / Connecting Point has grown and been able to maintain its success. Chernick is a high energy leader with a great sense of humor. He sees possibilities and opportunities with his “roll up the sleeves and get it done” attitude in both his profession and in the community. Among the notable industry achievements and involvement:
Serves on the Advisory Board of Hewlett-Packard (HP), a National Advisory Council
Camera Corner / Connecting Point is one of the top 150 of 25,000 HP resellers in the United States
Chernick is closely connected with HP executives which he utilizes to help his customers when needed
Camera Corner / Connecting Point is one of the largest educational resellers in Wisconsin
The firm has also been a reseller of Apple computer products since 1983
His involvement doesn’t end with his business; in fact, that’s just the start. Chernick is actively involved in the community, currently serving on the:
Green Bay Packers Board of Directors
Associated Bank – Green Bay Region Advisory Board
ASPIRO Resource Development Committee
United Way Recruiting Committee 2009
Mayors Downtown Green Bay Inc., Bid Board
Bellin Hospital Corporation
Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Partners In Education Board
UW-Green Bay Phoenix Booster Club
Past service includes: Green Bay YMCA Capital Campaign Cabinet, committee meeting chairman and board member and former member of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
Chernick’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. He has received a number of awards and recognition in the past, including:
Green Bay Area Small Business of the Year
UW-Green Bay Distinguished Alumni Award
UW-Green Bay Chancellor’s Award
National Top 25 Executive Award from CRN
Aspiro President’s Award
Eagle Scout Award
Often downplaying what he accomplishes professionally and personally, Chernick is quick to state he couldn’t have accomplished all of this on his own. “It takes a lot of outstanding people to make a company grow, and it also takes a supportive family,” he explains. “This business is all about relationships. Every person in our company feels a sense of connection with our clients, our industry and our community. I can’t thank them enough for all they do to make this business successful.”
Rotary Club of Green Bay President Barbie Patterson said Chernick represents everything that’s right about the free enterprise system. “He is a true success story. He took a successful small business started by his father and adapted as times and needs changed. As a result, Camera Corner / Connecting Point has become the Green Bay area’s leading technology business. But Rick also realizes life is about more than business, so he makes community involvement a priority which is the sign of a good leader.”
Chernick and his wife Rebecca live in Oneida and have five children: Ryan (and his wife Tracy), Ben (and his wife Becky), Katie, Cristey and Caley. In addition, they have five grandchildren.
“I am accepting this award on behalf of everyone in the Camera Corner / Connecting Point family; both past and present,” said Chernick. “The success of the business isn’t a singular success. We work hard for our clients and the community. That’s what life is all about.” As part of the Free Enterprise Award, a $1,000 donation will be granted to the charity of Chernick’s choice, which is Aspiro.
The 28th annual Green Bay Rotary Club Free Enterprise Award Dinner will be held on Monday, May 3, 2010, at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, Green Bay. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. Program and awards presentation will follow. Tickets are $95 per person or $1,000 for a corporate table of 10. For ticket information or reservations, contact Barbara Vanden Avond or Doris Kirk at (920) 445-0365 or barbvanden@aol.com .
# # #
Media Contact:
Susan Finco
Leonard & Finco Public Relations, Inc.
(920) 965-7750 ext. 158
sfinco@LFpublicrelations.com
Media Note: A list of previous Free Enterprise Award recipients is on the following page.
| Previous Recipients of the Free Enterprise Award | ||
| 2009 | Robert “Bob” Gallagher | Associated Banc-Corp. |
| 2008 | George Kerwin | Bellin Health Systems, Inc. |
| 2007 | Larry Ferguson | Schreiber Foods, Inc. |
| 2006 | Timothy Howald | Tweet/Garot Mechanical, Inc |
| 2005 | Larry Weyers | WPS Resources Corporation |
| 2004 | Frank A. Wood | Green Bay News Chronicle |
| 2003 | John C. “Jack” Meng | Schreiber Foods, Inc. |
| 2002 | James F. Kress | Green Bay Packaging |
| 2001 | Carl W. Kuehne | American Foods Group |
| 2000 | Harry B. “Nick” Conlon | Associated Banc Corp. |
| 1999 | K.C. Stock | KCS International, Stock Lumber Co. |
| 1998 | James Madigan | FEECO International |
| 1997 | Leo Frigo | Frigo Cheese, Paul’s Pantry |
| 1996 | Don DeMeuse | Fort Howard |
| 1995 | Louis Konop | Konop Vending |
| 1994 | Robert Bush | Schreiber Foods, Inc. |
| 1993 | Robert Harlan | Green Bay Packers |
| 1992 | Donald Schneider | Schneider National |
| 1991 | Ron Weyers & Wally Hilliard | American Medical Security |
| 1990 | Donald Long | Imperial, Inc. |
| 1989 | Steve Van Dyke | Foth & Van Dyke |
| 1988 | Frederick Baer | Paper Converting Machine Co. |
| 1987 | Paul Ziemer | Wisconsin Public Service |
| 1986 | Phil Hendrickson | Krueger International |
| 1985 | John “Jake” Rose | Associated Kellogg Bank |
| 1984 | Merlin Bush | Schreiber Foods |
| 1983 | George Kress | Green Bay Packaging |
