Highland County Chamber of Commerce hosts annual meeting & dinner
A crowd of over 200 people gathered on May 7 for the Highland County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and Dinner. Hosted by The Barn at Hidden Ridge, located in Hillsboro, the event allowed attendees an evening of networking within the Highland County business community.
The Highland County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual meeting and dinner on Thursday, May 7, at The Barn at Hidden Ridge located in Hillsboro. Over 200 guests attended the event “Boots and Bling,” and enjoyed an evening of networking within the Highland County business community. Dinner was provided by All Seasons Catering, Shoelaces Catering, Maplecrest Meats & More, and Batter Up Bakery. Drinks were provided by Holtfield Station, and plates and cups were donated by Huhtamaki Inc.
Highlights of the evening included comments made by Chamber Board of Directors Meghan Wagoner, a financial report by Board Treasurer Laura Burton, and a Chamber update given by Executive Director Jamie Wheeler.
(Below, Doug Karnes, McCarty Associates, served as the master of ceremonies for the Highland County Chamber’s annual meeting and dinner on May 7.)

Throughout the evening, guests competed in a variety of contests to earn prizes for themselves or their staff. Over 20 different local businesses donated items for gift baskets that were raffled off throughout the evening.
Platinum sponsors for the event included: All Axxiss, Bear Mechanical, First State Bank, Highland District Hospital, Huhtamaki, Lewis Financial, Merchants National Bank, National Cooperative Bank (NCB), RoofX, Seal-Tite LLC, Shafer Heating & Cooling, Southern Hills Community Bank, The Barn at Hidden Ridge, and Wilkin Heating & Air Conditioning Co., Inc.
Gold sponsors were: Abbott Image Solutions, Adena Greenfield Medical Center, Amy Davis & Associates Realty, Arven Wealth Management, Edward Jones: Mat Greene, Kyle King, Susan Vaher, Elite Roofing, Fifth Third Bank, Great Oaks Institute of Technology & Career Development, Greenfield Research Inc., Peoples Bank, SOCS Fiber, South Central Power Co., Southern Ohio RetroFoam, LLC, Southern State Community College, Thompson Funeral Service, Inc., and Zoom Drain of Southwestern Ohio.
Silver sponsors included: ButterMilks Bakery, Farm Credit Mid-America, FRS Transportation, HighCo, Rick's Hometown TV & Appliance Center, Stevens Do It Best Hardware, The Guest House Spa, and Wilmington Savings Bank.
Bronze sponsors for the event were: Atomic Credit Union, Dr. Rex Chiropractic, ERA Don Fender Classic, Hamilton Insurance Agency, HealthSource of Ohio Hillsboro, Highland County Historical Society, Highland Health Providers, Hillsboro Ohio Pickleball Association, Inc., Holtfield Station, McCarty Associates, Noreen's School of Dance, Reset Business Consulting, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, TechneTitle Agency Inc., The Barn at Hidden Ridge, The Bug House, The Lake View Loft Event Venue, Trustwell Living at Bell Gardens Place, Union Stock Yards, and Visitors Bureau of Highland County.
(Below, Highland County Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Meghan Wagoner welcomed those in attendance to the Chamber’s Annual Meeting. The organization’s 2025 accomplishments were shared including: 34 new members, 22 ribbon cuttings, 5 years of our Chamber Partner Sponsorship Program, and 24 Chamber events with a combined attendance of 1,980.)

Businesses and individuals who donated to the 20 raffle baskets included: Blossoms 'N Buds, First State Bank, Highland County Chamber of Commerce, Highland County Historical Society, HighCo, Hospice of Hope Ohio Valley, iHeart Media/John Barney, Jamie Wheeler, Jeff and Lindsay Cloud, McCarty, Merchants National Bank, Petland Hillsboro, Seal-Tite, Southern Hills Community Bank, Stevens DO IT BEST, TechneTitle Agency, Inc., The Sugar Shack, Visitors Bureau, Zoom Drain, and several anonymous donors. Proceeds from the event allow the Chamber to support its initiatives of advocating for the business community while promoting economic and community development.
For more photos from the event, visit the Chamber’s Facebook page. Plans for the 2027 Chamber annual dinner will be made available in early 2027.
About the Highland County Chamber of Commerce
The Highland County Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit membership-driven organization that represents the business community of Highland County. The many plans and programs the Chamber offers its investors, combined with county workforce development initiatives, and local, state, and federal legislative/advocacy efforts positions the Chamber of Commerce as a leading organization in Highland County. Learn more at www.thehighlandchamber.com.
••• Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 28 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service – and want it to continue – it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.
(Below, During the event, attendees had the opportunity to ride a mechanical bull, sponsored by Merchants National Bank, for a chance to win a prize donated by DESRI. Pictured is Becky Ventura, owner of Ventura’s Feed and Country Store.)
