Lake Norman Chamber names six public safety officers of the year

Six police officers and firefighters from Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville received top honors at the Lake Norman Chamber's 24th annual Public Safety Luncheon in Huntersville.

Huntersville Police Detective Tim Lesser, an 18-year veteran, was named the overall 2026 Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Officer of the Year. Lesser supports North Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers and has focused on educating seniors and small business owners about fraud, identity theft and financial scams, according to the Lake Norman Chamber. Huntersville Police Chief Brian Vaughan and Mayor Christy Clark presented the award.

Davidson Police Officer David Andras earned his department's Officer of the Year award after coordinating more than 120 community events reaching over 12,000 participants in the past year. The Chamber cited his work building relationships with residents, businesses, schools and community organizations. Davidson Police Chief Philip Geiger and Mayor Rusty Knox presented the award.

Detective John Lineberger was named Cornelius Police Department Officer of the Year for his investigative work on complex criminal cases, according to Cornelius Today. Cornelius Police Chief David Baucum and Mayor Denis Bilodeau joined in the presentation.

On the fire side, Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue honored Firefighter Matt Greco, a firefighter since 2010 who raised more than $10,000 in community contributions to purchase an advanced public-safety drone for the department. Deputy Chief Andrew Bridges presented the award alongside Bilodeau.

Davidson Fire Captain Jeffrey Williams, promoted to captain in 2022 after previously serving with the Charlotte Fire Department, received Davidson's Firefighter of the Year award. Fire Chief Jeremy Montieth presented the honor.

Huntersville Fire Division Chief Adam Maier was named Huntersville's Firefighter of the Year. Maier also serves as a full-time fire captain with the City of Charlotte, averaging more than 72 hours of service each week. Fire Chief Jim Dotoli and Clark presented his award.

Chamber President Bill Russell said the honorees "represent the very best of public service." Russell and 2026 Board Chair Leah Trowbridge joined the three mayors in presenting awards at the October luncheon, held at Northstone Country Club.

Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union sponsored the event.