Perkins receives chamber award

Jim Perkins, the outgoing president of Blue Ridge Community College, received the Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year award during a ceremony Thursday in Staunton.

In prepared remarks, Ann Leatherwood, who serves on the chamber’s board of directors and chairs its education committee, praised Perkins’ 20-year tenure as president.

In that time, Leatherwood said the college has grown in enrollment and facilities and established off-campus centers in Harrisonburg and Fishersville.

A number of other facilities, including the Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center, have been built during Perkins’ tenure. The college has also added nursing and aviation maintenance technology programs.

Ben Carter, the chamber president, said Blue Ridge has continued to grow in every year of Perkins’ time at the school. Carter says the college will miss him, but noted that the community will still benefit from his leadership.

“I think he’s the one individual in our community that really deserves the citizen of the year award because of his leadership that he has provided for Blue Ridge Community College and the years that he’s been there,” Carter said. “And he’s the reason for the success for Blue Ridge Community College.”