The Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s Business Hall of Fame ranks grew by three on May 16, as Lola Reinsch, Bob Hawthorne and the late Bert Johnson were inducted into the pantheon.
Reinsch was celebrated for her service as a business leader and philanthropist, Hawthorne for a lengthy banking career in Arlington, and Johnson for his tenure as county manager in Arlington from 1962 to 1976.
The selection of Reinsch also marked the first time that two generations of one family were inducted into the hall of fame. Reinsch’s late father, Emerson Reinsch, previously was enshrined in 2016. (Presenting the award in each case was Scott McGeary of Washington Gas, himself an inductee in 2021.)
The three inductees now join the following previous recipients in the hall of fame: Giuseppe Cecchi, Robert Smith, William Buck, John Shooshan, Emerson Reinsch, Russell Hitt, Sidney Dewberry, Ashton Jones, W. Sydney Albrittain, James Cole, Jonathan Kinney, Joseph Wholey, Mort Zetlin, Dr. Kenneth Haggerty, Fred Burroughs, Preston Caruthers, Joel Broyhill, Herb Morgan, Elizabeth Campbell, Dr. Jack London, Neal Nichols, Henry Lampe, David Guernsey, Bob Peck, Rich Doud, John Milliken, Scott McGeary, Erik Gutshall and Sonia Johnston.
Also at the May 16 event, held at Army Navy Country Club, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce presented its 2023 “Best Business” awards to:
• Home Energy Medics, 2023 Sustainable Business of the Year.
• National Capital Treatment & Recovery, 2023 Nonprofit Business of the Year.
• Mercedes-Benz of Arlington, 2023 Retail Small Business of the Year.
• Arlington/DC Behavior Therapy Institute, 2023 Service Small Business of the Year.
• Mastercard, 2023 Large Business of the Year.
