Betsy Davidson: 2018 Lowell Person of the Year

Besty Davidson with her husband Matt.

You might not recognize Betsy Davidson if you passed her on the street, and maybe you’ve never heard of her business, Addorio Technologies. However, if you’ve lived in Lowell for any length of time, you’ve likely benefitted from her work.

Davidson has spent years working quietly behind the scenes to make sure trails are built in Lowell and festivals go off without a hitch. She’s long been one of the community’s unsung heroes. Until now.

The Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce is recognizing Davidson for her long tenure of professional and volunteer work by naming her the 2018 Lowell Person of the Year.

Owner of Lowell-Based IT Business

Although not technically a lifelong resident, Davidson has called the community home since her family moved to the area when she was in 2nd grade. After graduating from Central Michigan University, she initially worked for other IT companies before eventually deciding to launch her own business.

Addorio Technologies – named in honor of Davidson’s mother – was founded in 2000 to provide IT services such as data management, helpdesk support and website development, among other things. Davidson brought on her brother, Tony Dommer, in 2005, and the two now run the business together.

Throughout the years, Addorio Technologies has put together an impressive portfolio that includes municipal clients such as the City of Lowell and Jamestown Charter Township, non-profits including Flat River Outreach Ministries and the Lowell Education Foundation and businesses that range from Terra Verde Landscaping to Grand Rapids Eye Care.

Volunteering as a Way of Life

While Davidson’s business has been a fixture in Lowell for nearly two decades, she is equally well known for her volunteerism. “Every opportunity a person has to give back, they should,” Davidson says is her motto. “You find a passion, and you help other people with that.”

And Davidson has no shortage of passion for the community of Lowell. She has been a member and ambassador with the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce almost since the inception of her business. She’s been on the board for six years, serves as a chair of the Riverwalk Festival and helps with the Christmas Committee – even jumping in to fill in for Santa’s elves if needed.

Likewise, she has been a long-time fixture in both the Lowell Rotary Club and the Lowell Area Recreation Authority, serving as treasurer for both. Once a month, she steps into the role of docent at the Lowell Area Historical Museum, and she helps FROM however she is able.

“I think the organizations in Lowell are driving this town,” she says. Davidson sees them as helping to provide residents with everything from basic necessities to enrichment activities, and she wants to do her part to make sure their services continue for the benefit of all.

Outside of Lowell, Davidson and her husband Matt have made raising money for the MS Foundation a personal priority. Along with Davidson’s family – the Dommers – the couple has participated for 16 years in an annual fundraiser for the group. “We’ve raised just over $50,000 for the National MS Foundation,” she says.

Team Player for the Community of Lowell

As the owner of a technology firm, Davidson has the ability to serve customers virtually anywhere. Unlike businesses with a storefront, Addorio Technologies doesn’t need people to physically visit Lowell in order to make a sale. And yet, Davidson spends a significant amount of her time organizing and running events to get people shopping on Main Street.

“I try to get involved in the Chamber as much as I can because I think the Chamber does so much to bring people to Lowell,” she says.

That team player attitude is a common trait Davidson shares with so many previous Person of the Year winners. While she has her own business to run, she is just as concerned with ensuring other Lowell establishments are successful as well.

For that reason, and so much more, Betsy Davidson is the 2018 Lowell Person of the Year.

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