Metzger’s General Manager David Jolly in front of the Los Alamos store Tuesday is the recipient of the prestigious International Economic Development Council’s 2020 Citizen Leadership Award. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com
Metzger’s Do It Best Hardware General Manager David Jolly was selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2020 Citizen Leadership Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation (LACDC), along with Los Alamos MainStreet and the Chamber of Commerce announced the award Tuesday.
“LACDC is thrilled to see Dave recognized by the IEDC for his continuous devotion to economic development in Los Alamos County,” Sullivan said. “This is a prestigious award and Dave is truly deserving of it. I’d like to ask the community to join LACDC in congratulating Dave and thank him for all the great work he does.”
The IEDC is the largest association for professional economic developers in the world and has recognized 19 leaders in the field with its 2020 Honorary & Leadership awards for achieving excellence in the profession. Nominees for these individual awards were selected through a several month-long process and from a pool of many highly qualified nominees.
Chamber Director Ryn Herrmann put together the information to nominate Jolly for this important award.
“David does so much for the community of Los Alamos. He plays a key leadership role in local economic development by often going above and beyond his duties for the various committees and boards he has served on,” Herrmann said. “David is one of the most committed community advocates I have had the pleasure of working with. We were delighted to nominate David for the IEDC Citizen Leadership Award and thrilled that he won!”
IEDC’s Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. These awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban and rural communities.
The Citizen Leadership Award recognizes Jolly as a community and business leader who plays a key leadership role in economic development. Metzger’s Hardware has been a staple of Los Alamos for more than 70 years and plays a large part in the Los Alamos community as one of the anchor downtown businesses.
Jolly has served as general manager for more than 10 years and has taken on many key leadership roles. He has the reputation for genuinely caring about his customers and about Los Alamos, often going above and beyond his roles in the various committees and boards he has served on by meeting one-on-one with business owners, economic development professionals and others.
“I believe a strong business depends on a strong community, so to me, working to build the community comes back to the company in increased business. In Los Alamos, the more we can do to offer choices locally so our residents don’t feel the need to go off the hill, the more all of our businesses will benefit,” Jolly said. “I’m fortunate that the Metzgers, Lee and now Greg, feel the same way and have been very supportive. Our philosophies about success in this business have been very much in sync. In fact, that’s one of the things that brought me here 11 years ago.”
Metzger’s has been part of the local community since 1947 and Jolly attributes the company’s continued success to the community’s support.
“We’re not part of a chain, Metzger’s is a Los Alamos business. That’s why we included the Los Alamos County logo as part of our 70th anniversary logo,” Jolly said. “I like to think we run a first-rate business, and that’s been recognized – from the Facebook comments we get from customers to industry recognition like being named New Mexico’s Hardware SuperStar by HBS Dealer Magazine. This IECD award is especially gratifying though because it comes from outside the industry. I’m really touched that Ryn from the Chamber, Patrick from the LACDC and Lauren McDaniel from MainStreet think enough of what I try to do here to submit the nomination. That’s what counts to me … because they are the ones who do the real work.”
Jolly will be honored Oct. 13-16, during a 2020 Virtual Annual Conference.
To learn more about IEDC’s Excellence Awards, visit www.iedconline.org/2020Awards.