Chillicothe & Ross County — The Chamber of Commerce recently hosted their annual awards dinner, naming Ben Daughters, founder of the restaurant “Pour House at Machinery Hall,” as 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year.
The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce gathered at Bell Manor southeast of town on May 12th, 2026.
Also the owner of Dairy Queen of Chillicothe, the Chamber describes Daughters as a U.S. Army veteran and Bronze Star recipient.
“Ben returned home to Chillicothe in 2012 and has since built businesses that employ 120 people, generate more than $2.1 million in wages annually, and welcome over 115,000 guests per year — all while contributing significantly to downtown revitalization and community leadership.”
Chamber president and CEO Mike Throne said last year for the chamber involved a lot of work with the shutdown of the paper mill, which took much of their time. But, they were still able to do a full slate of more than 100 events – as well as solidify the bond with the community and grow membership.
Throne said the chamber’s next big event is their July 10th golf outing at the Jaycees golf course in Pleasant Valley. Hear Throne in his own words below.
He had spoken the night before to Chillicothe Council on the Chamber’s program to help local businesses with real (or perceived) traffic problems.
Additional awards were:
- Young Professional of the Year — Daniel Griesheimer
- Corporate Citizenship Award — Lori Graves
- Legacy Award — Chillicothe Civic Theatre
- Special Recognition — Jana Detty, RHF Enterprises/McDonald’s
Read more on the chamber’s page on the event. The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce has a website, Facebook page, X / Twitteraccount, and YouTube page.
