Tribune editorial staff

Years and years ago, historians and pop culture fans began marking time by using 10-year blocks. The decade became a perfectly sized snapshot of time. Long enough to capture changes and growth, but short enough for us to easily remember its beginning and its end.

When you begin collecting decades together, the time becomes much more tangible and finite. One decade isn't enough to measure much more than changes in fashion and politics. But two decades, two decades is a sizable block of time. Much can happen in two decades, an infant can be born and grow into adulthood.

A special organization in Lawrence County just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Two decades ago, the Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce was just an infant.

Today, it has grown into a mature organization, one with strong ties to county, regional, state and national leaders. The organization celebrated its history a bit last week during its annual awards banquet, honoring charter president Don Edwards, longtime executive director Pat Clonch and others.

And, although the organization has honored many, many area businesses during its lifetime, perhaps this year's selections demonstrate the best yet.

Dale Manns, owner of Superior Marine Ways, was named Person of the Year. Like so many successful Lawrence County businesses, Manns pointed to his family's help as key to the company's success.

Robert Slagel, who took a third generation family business and greatly expanded on it, was named Entrepreneur of the Year. Slagel, too, pointed to the help of immediate family and a small group of family like advisors.

A representative of Duke Energy, named Business of the Year, spoke the phrase "I feel like family" as he described the close relationship between his company and Lawrence County.

Two decades in the history of the family of Lawrence County show some pretty impressive progress. And we give a hearty "congratulations" to the Chamber, its staff and this year's award recipients.