Renae Martin, whose skin-care products business weathered the pandemic and enabled her to give something back to the community, has been named “Business person of the year” by the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce.

Martin is one of eight businesses or business people who will be honored by the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Ulster County Economic Development Alliance at its 17th-annual Business Recognition Awards Celebration, which will take place Thursday, Oct. 21, at Diamond Mills Hotel and Tavern in Saugerties, starting at 5:30 p.m.

“I am almost, speechless,” Martin wrote on Facebook. “I could say that I’ve worked so hard but I love what I do therefore it’s not work to me!”

The pathway to Renae Martin’s career began when she researched and developed her own line of essential oils. As demand for her oils increased, she opened Lilly Rae in the Hamlet and was soon making custom orders and started a growing and successful skin-care business.

“Lilly Rae quickly became known for offering a host of locally sourced products including jams, salsas, biscotti, maple syrup, tea, honey and so much more,” the Chamber noted in its press release.

A Highland native, Martin has more than 22 years of experience in retail management and restructure, She has received many awards for Team Leadership, Strongest Team Building, Customer Service and Creative Energy.

In 2020, she helped relaunch the Highland Business Association and is currently serving as its president.

“My everyday life consists of a strong belief in old family values, spending quality time with my family and dinner together, at the table with no phones,” she said in her bio on the HBA homepage.

Supporting small local businesses and contributing to the community is very important to me and I do my best to instill these same values in my children.”

Visit ulsterchamber.org for more information about the Business Recognition Awards Celebration.