The Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce will recognize outstanding community and business leaders when it presents “Rising Above the Rest” Fall 2009 awards Thursday, Oct. 29.

Award winners were nominated by Chamber members and selected after an intensive application and review process by a Chamber panel.

“We’re proud to honor the accomplishments of these individuals, companies, and advocates,” said chamber President Lauren Slocum.

Award recipients include Charlotte Ferris, Ray McNeill, of SCORE, and Mayor Scott Avedisian. Avedisian has been selected for the Humanitarian of the Year honor; Ferris is the Chamber’s Volunteer of the Year and McNeill has won Business Mentor of the Year.

Steven Kitchin, of the New England Institute of Technology, will receive the Al Andrews Community Achievement Award. Mattos & Associates – SERVPRO of Metro Rhode Island has won Business of the Year recognition in the category of companies with 1-49 employees, and BankRI earned the same honor in the 50 or more employees category.

Mark Foley, of Blackrock Media Group, has been named Media Person of the Year and Bishop Hendricken High School will be recognized as the Not-For-Profit Business of the Year.

The Business & Education Advocate of the Year will be given to Every Company Counts, and Michael Nula, of Elite Physical Therapy, has been named Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Dan Scanlon, Sr., of Scanlon Enterprises, Inc., has been selected as the Chamber Advocate.

Honorees will recognized at a special breakfast and awards ceremony beginning at 8 a.m. on Oct. 29 at the Sheraton Providence Airport Hotel, 1850 Post Road, Warwick. Tickets are $35 per person.

The public is cordially invited to attend; however, advance reservations are required and can be made by calling the Chamber at 732-1100 or by logging onto their secure Web site: www.centralrichamber.com/rising.htm.