Each year the Dublin Chamber of Commerce selects a community member to receive the Business Person of the Year Award. It has distributed these awards since 1984 to people who positively impact business in Dublin with outstanding leadership and a mindset of service. The Business Person of the Year gets to be part of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the chamber’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
This year, the chamber selected Lisa Armitage as the 2019 Business Person of the Year. Armitage is the owner of Goldfish Swim School, where the staff focuses on helping young swim students reach their full potential through two main factors: guided play and a safe environment; a combination called the science of swim play. They recognize that play is a key component in skill-building and mental development for children, giving them confidence as they try new things.
“I am truly honored to be selected, and I am so thankful to be part of this amazing community,” Armitage says.
Armitage’s first Goldfish Swim School opened in Dublin. There are now additional locations in Westerville and Lewis Center.
She encourages her staff and the families she works with to join her in serving the community in a variety of ways. Together they donated 300 pounds of non-perishable foods to local food pantries, provided pajamas and books for at-risk kids through the Sweet Dreams and Stories initiative, volunteered for the City of Dublin’s Earth Day Celebration and sponsored the chamber’s Community Champions Awards. In just three years, the Goldfish Swim School supported or participated in more than 400 community events.
“Lisa is committed to making a difference in the communities she serves,” Sharon Kendall, Dublin chamber board president says. “And this can be seen through the time she spends in the community through her educational programs, and the way she encourages others around her to get involved and give back.”
The business community is invited to join the Dublin chamber as Armitage receives her award on March 19, 2020 at Columbus Marriott Northwest. To make reservations and learn more, visit dublinchamber.org/BPOY19.
Previous Chamber Business People of the Year
2008 - Pat Baker
2009 - Tim Picciano
2010 - Richard Taylor
2011 - Bill Jacob
2012 - Jay Jordan
2013 - Scott White
2014 - Yoshihiro Hidaka
2015 - Al & Anne Gleine
2016 - Roderick J. McDavis, Ph.D
2017 - Doug Austin
2018 - Asch and Kate Mikhail
Mollie Shaw is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
