A proud business in the heart of Pontiac, the Dobrusin Law Firm is delighted to recognize shareholder Daniela Walters who recently received the Community Influencer Award at Main Street Oakland County’s annual awards celebration. Daniela and 14 other businesses and individuals received accolades for their efforts to preserve and energize their business and civic communities.
Daniela was honored with this award for her contributions to the City of Pontiac and Oakland County. She is a co-founder and President of Main Street Pontiac which is a 501c3 non-profit advocating for and fostering a vibrant, safe, and historic downtown Pontiac. She has worked with her fellow board members on creating grant programs in downtown, such as the Façade grant program to provide funding resources to renovate historic buildings; collaborative clean-up efforts throughout the year; community-friendly programming such the Phoenix Races and Hauntiac; and continuing already existing programs such as Canvas Pontiac. She also plays an active role in Flagstar Bank’s Pontiac’s Big Idea Grant Program which provides Pontiac-based small businesses with $10,000 grants to either establish or expand.
“I know of no volunteer community leader more deserving of this honor than Daniela,” says Eric Dobrusin of The Dobrusin Law Firm. “Daniela has poured her heart and soul, working tirelessly, and often anonymously, into most nights, toward improving downtown Pontiac and the lives of its residents and workers.”
Main Street Oakland County held its inaugural awards event in 2004 to recognize businesses and individuals impacting the areas of design, economic restructuring, organization, and promotion. This year’s gala, themed “Main Street Radio Hour,” recognized accomplishments in multiple categories:
- Volunteer of the Year: Chris Halas, Farmington
- Local Leader of the Year: Angela Lemon, Holly
- Board Member of the Year: Valerie Glander, Clawson
- Business Owner of the Year: Andy Gilbert, Berkley
- Celebrating Main Street: Hauntiac, Pontiac
- On a Shoestring: Downtown Placemaking Pedestrian Alley, Ferndale
- Out in the Open: Flint Street Alleyway, Lake Orion
- Telling Your Story: E-Newsletters, Lake Orion
- Game Changer: Downtown Shopping Bags, Berkley
- Game Changer: Witches Night Out, Ortonville
- Preservation Action: Vince Iafano and Cari Cucksey
- Community Influencer: Daniela Walters, Dobrusin and Pamela Hansen and Elina Costello, Franklin
- Program on the Rise: Lathrup Village
The event was sponsored by ITC, A Fortis Company; SMART; Genisys Credit Union; the Oakland County Business Finance Corp.; McLaren Oakland; The Dobrusin Law Firm; and Turner Restoration. To learn more, please visit Main Street Oakland County.
