Thursday, March 28, 2024
Submitted Photo Greg Kuball accepted the Legacy Award for Ping and Mei “Macy” Zheng at last week’s Kasson Chamber of Comerce annual meeting at the Hubbell House in Mantorville.DCI File Photo Ping and Mei (Macy) Zheng, shown here with their children in a DCI file photo, were the recipients of the Legacy Award given annually by the Kasson Chamber of Commerce. The couple are the former owners of Buffet King in Kasson.Submitted Photo John Buckingham of Buckingham Home Team of Keller Williams, was named Businessperson of the Year last week by the Kasson Chamber of Commerce.

Kasson chamber bestows honors during annual meeting

John Buckingham is known as “grandpa” by many, not just by his own ten grandkids.

The Kasson resident was named 2022 Businessperson of the Year by the Kasson Chamber of Commerce on January 26 as part of the Chamber’s annual meeting at The Hubbell House. His impact has been felt by many, which is what led him to being selected for this honor.

“I’m very grateful,” Buckingham said by phone this week. “I just want to say thank you.”

Kasson Chamber of Commerce President Tom Monson presented Buckingham with his award on January 26 in Mantorville, saying Buckingham first moved to Kasson in 1973 and started work in building and remodeling homes. He continued his career in real estate, operating his own construction company, doing new home construction from 1979 to 2007.

Buckingham then got his real estate license in 1989 and later in 1994 his broker license.

Today, Buckingham is broker and associate with Buckingham Home Team of Keller Williams in Rochester, but his work has him focused on a huge geographic region which includes Kasson.

“John’s charity to local families and organizations throughout 2022 has included bell ringing for the Salvation Army, donations to Ready Set Learn and local daycares, assisting recently evicted families and even providing a family with a Thanksgiving dinner,” Monson said.

“John is also one of those Kasson Chamber members who show up — be it as a sponsor, attendee, or volunteer,” Monson went on. “John’s storied real estate career, work helping people in our community and longtime involvement with the Kasson Chamber of Commerce are all reasons I ask you to join me in congratulating John Buckingham as our 2022 Businessperson of the Year.”

“I believe in shopping local and supporting all local businesses,” Buckingham said after receiving his Chamber plaque. “I believe everyone needs to buy local, so we all have places for our grandkids to work here in America. And I’m a patriot to the core.”

Also honored during the Chamber Annual Meeting were Ping and Mei “Macy” Zheng of Kasson’s Buffet King, who were given the 2022 Legacy Award. The couple wasn’t able to be at the Chamber event, so Greg Kuball of Hardware Hank accepted it on their behalf.

“I do have close ties with them,” Kuball said by phone this week. “Ping, he calls me brother and I call him brother. Ping and Macy have become very close to the Kuball family.”

In his remarks during the Chamber Annual Meeting, Monson said the long-standing Kasson Main Street presence of Ping and Macy Zheng has made a lasting impact on the town.

“They have long been known for their kind hearted and gracious approach to Chinese cuisine,” Monson said. “Learning customers’ names, personal greetings and promoting other local businesses not only makes patrons feel welcome but extends a sense of community in Kasson.”

Their decades of Chamber membership and involvement and support of fellow Kasson area businesses make them “wonderful examples in creating a legacy,” Monson said.

“Their impact on the people of Kasson, their long history on Main Street, and their wonderful job in passing the torch to Haku Asian are all reasons I ask everyone to join me in congratulating Ping and Mei Zheng of Buffet King as our 2022 Legacy award winners along with a toast to a good transition into retiring in New York,” Monson said in his annual meeting remarks.

 

 

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