PARIS — A SAD 17 employee and the chairman of its Board of Directors have been named to the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce’s list of 2013 Business and Community Award winners.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon by the chamber, Cathy Fanjoy Coffey of Oxford, the school district’s business manager, was named Employee of the Year. Ron Kugell of Oxford, a longtime director and current board chairman, was given the Community Service Award.

“I am extremely honored but also very surprised by the recognition,” Coffey said. “As someone who prefers to work behind the scenes, it certainly wasn’t something I was expecting. But I am incredibly proud of this school district and honored to be part of its success over the years.”

Coffey said her decision to come to Oxford Hills to work, live and raise her family was the best one she ever made. “There is no place I would rather be,” she said.

This is the second major award Coffey has received recently. In October, the 21-year district employee was highlighted in the October edition of the online publication of the Association of School Business Officials International for her work in SAD 17.

Chamber board member Mary Anna Palmer, president of Palmer Development Corp., and SAD 17 Superintendent Rick Colpitts nominated Coffey calling her “the quiet voice who takes little credit yet has a huge impact in the district.”

As business manager, Coffey plays an instrumental role in the school district budget process, which isn’t always easy, chamber Executive Director John Williams said.

He said the chamber board reviewed nominations for all four awards to determine the winners.

In awarding the Community Service Award to Kugell, Williams said, “Ron has been involved in the community in many different ways over the years and the chamber is pleased to recognize his long-standing commitment by giving him the Community Service Award.”

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kugell taught science and driver’s education in the school district, was assistant principal at Oxford Hills High School in Paris and the adult education director. The award recognized Kugell’s lengthy service to the school district and to the town of Oxford, where he was a police officer, police chief and town meeting moderator.

“Ron has been involved in the community in many different ways over the years, and the chamber is pleased to recognize his long-standing commitment by giving him the Community Service Award,” Williams said.

In addition, the chamber gave the Business of the Year Award to the Oxford Federal Credit Union.

Maureen Howard, director of the Oxford Hills Community Education Exchange, said in her nomination, “Oxford Federal Credit Union has made an invaluable impact on the education of our Oxford Hills students over the past seven years.”

The credit union is headquartered in Mexico and has a branch on Route 26 in Norway near Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.

Williams said, “While Oxford Federal Credit Union may not be a large business, they do have a very big presence in the community. OFCU supports several educational and community organizations throughout the year, including ASPIRE Higher, the concerts in Moore Park, Responsible Pet Care and the Chamber Chat radio program on WOXO to name just a few.”

The Rising Star of the Year is Buy the Fire on Route 26 in Oxford. Buy the Fire is owned and operated by Don and Dianne Ferry and is the only stove and fireplace dealer in Maine with two master hearth professionals, Williams said.

“Buy the Fire is a family-owned business and the Ferrys are active members of the community. They are also leaders in their industry,” he said.

The award winners will be honored during the chamber’s annual dinner March 7, 2014, at Four Seasons Function Center, 187 Main St., South Paris. The dinner’s keynote speaker will be Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

For more information, contact the chamber at (207) 743-2281 or info@oxfordhillsmaine.com.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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