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Saline County Chamber honors top businesses

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">HARRISBURG &ndash; One Eldorado business owner thanked county residents along with the Saline County Chamber of Commerce for helping make his business a success during the past 32 years at the chamber's annual banquet Thursday.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Dan Doughty, who owns grocery store Big John's, said he had no plans to own a grocery store when he began working there in 1981. The store, then owned by Martin & Bailey of Carmi, was an enjoyable place to work, he said.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">&ldquo;In 1985, they decided to go into the Huck's stores more heavily,&rdquo; Doughty told the audience at the Bonan Business Center in Harrisburg. &ldquo;I was on the golf course when I got the phone call from the president of Martin & Bailey and he said 'we want to talk to you.' I thought I was fired.&rdquo;

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Instead, the company revealed they wanted to sell the store, and they had Doughty in mind as a buyer.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">&ldquo;They put together a proposal for me to buy the store, but I didn't have any money,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They ended up letting me lease the store. I think they thought I would fail, but 7 years later I paid it off.&rdquo;

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Doughty, whose business received the Chamber's 2016 Medium Business of the Year award, said the support of the community made his store successful.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">&ldquo;I want to say thank you to our customers. This award means a lot to us. Thank you all,&rdquo; he said.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Southeastern Illinois College received the Big Business of the Year award. College President Jonah Rice thanked the chamber and the entire region.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">&ldquo;We're very proud to receive this and we're very glad to help the chamber,&rdquo; Rice said. &ldquo;We have a lot of really great people who work out there, and we have a lot of great support from the community.&rdquo;

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Radio station WEBQ received the Small Business of the year award.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Olivia Bradley, chamber president, thanked member businesses small and large for helping the chamber have one of its most momentous years.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">&ldquo;We experienced so much growth this year,&rdquo; Bradley said. &ldquo;Whether it was existing businesses who joined or new businesses who came to the area, we had a great year. I'd like to take a moment to say thank you.&rdquo;