SANFORD -- The Central Carolina Community College Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) chapter has won numerous awards this year, including a national Outstanding Chapter award and first place for the Largest Professional Division in the country.

The PBL chapter, which is the fourth largest in the country, recently held its annual awards banquet to celebrate the accomplishments over the last academic year. Members were recognized for a variety of awards. The honors included state and national awards in a multitude of events, as well as individual recognition.

Phi Beta Lambda, a national student organization, promotes business leadership in its members. PBL is a nationally affiliated professional business organization for students and the college counterpart of Future Business Leaders of America. The CCCC PBL Chapter participates in service, fundraising, and scholarly activities as well as competitive events at the state and national PBL conferences. While primarily a business club, PBL is open to students of all majors.

In April, the chapter took 34 members to Charlotte to compete in the NCPBL 61st State Leadership Conference (SLC). Chapter members competed in 39 events against two-year colleges and four-year universities from across the state. The CCCC chapter took home 47 awards, including 13 first-place honors. Members finishing in the top two at SLC qualify for the National Leadership Conference (NLC). All 34 members qualified and 32 attended the NLC in Chicago in June.

Members in attendance at the NLC in Chicago were Salvador Bahena (Lee County), Jasmine Beck (Lee County), Gail Brown (Lee County), Stephen Bus (Orange County), Alejandra Ceron (Lee County), Cris Contreras (Lee County), Leonardo Cruz (Lee County), Terri Estrada (Lee County), James Fleming (Harnett County), Dylan Hargis (Lee County), Joseph Harris (Lee County), Quentin Ingram (Lee County), Keyon Jones (Lee County), Evan Kannarr (Lee County), Mark Keily (Lee County), Cherie Kelly (Lee County), Sharon Martin (Chatham County), David McAllister (Harnett County), Ethan McLawhorn (Harnett County), Bridgett McNeill (Harnett County), Erica McNeill (Cumberland County), Ivory Moore (Harnett County), Joshua Panee (Lee County), Josue Pena (Chatham County), Matthew Rogers (Lee County), Monica Sagastume-Ceron (Lee County), Carlos Sanchez (Chatham County), Genesis Santini (Lee County), Ryan Siler (Guilford County), Kathryn Thomann (Lee County), Christopher Wilkes (Lee County), and Kelly Zelaya (Chatham County).

While in Chicago, the chapter saw a continuation of their success from state. A total of 24 members qualified for the finals in their events while 20 members placed in 12 different events. Those members who placed were Cris Contreras and Genesis Santini (First Place Business Sustainability), Gail Brown (First Place Human Resource Management), Salvador Bahena and James Fleming (Third Place Network Design), Stephen Bus and Quentin Ingram (Fourth Place Emerging Business Issues), Salvador Bahena, James Fleming, and Joshua Panee (Fourth Place Website Design), Gail Brown and Kathryn Thomann (Fifth Place Business Law), Stephen Bus and Ryan Siler (Fifth Place Strategic Analysis & Decision Making), Josue Pena, Carlos Sanchez, and Kelly Zelaya (Sixth Place Financial Services), Alejandra Ceron, Terri Estrada, Cherie Kelly, Bridgett McNeill, and Monica Sagastume-Ceron (Seventh Place Parliamentary Procedure), Ethan McLawhorn and Kathryn Thomann (Eighth Place Community Service), Cris Contreras and Leonardo Cruz (10th Place Business Ethics), and Carlos Sanchez and Kelly Zelaya (10th place Financial Analysis & Decision Making).

Teresa Estrada, James Fleming, Quentin Ingram, Ivory Moore, Monica Sagastume-Ceron, Genesis Santini, Kathryn Thomann, and Christopher Wilkes were all inducted into NCPBL Who's Who. The chapter also received state and national recognition while becoming the fourth largest chapter in the country. Chapter awards include Gold Seal, Gold Star, Terry Lowrance Leadership Award, Outstanding Chapter, and first place for the Largest Professional Division in the country.

"The chapter success comes from the dedication and hard work of each member. They have untied as one to become one of the top chapters not only in North Carolina but in the nation," said chapter lead adviser Michael Fann, CCCC PBL chapter adviser and Business Technologies Lead Instructor. "Their drive is unequal and their commitment to the chapter, college, and community is shown continuously with their accomplishments throughout the year."

For more information on Central Carolina Community College, visit www.cccc.edu.