RALEIGH, NC – Deborah Sperati, a partner in the Rocky Mount office of Poyner Spruill LLP, and her husband Matt, a partner at Keel, Lassiter, Duffy & Sperati PLLC, were recognized last night at the 105th annual meeting of the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce. More than 540 people — the second-largest crowd ever — attended the event at Nash Community College.

The couple received the Woody Brown Award, given for community volunteerism and for “service above self.” Deborah and Matt are both alumni of the Leadership Rocky Mount Program.

Deborah is active in the Rocky Mount community, and serves in a leadership role in organizations such as the Futrell-Mauldin Community Fund, the Harrison Family YMCA, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Nash/Edgecombe Counties, and the Tar River Charitable Foundation. She is a past board member of the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce and a past President and founding member of the Young Professionals Network. Matt is the Vice-Chairman of Communities in Schools, a past President of the Tar River Civic Club, a member of the Planning Board of the City of Rocky Mount, and a board member of the Friends of the Arts Center. Deborah and Matt co-chaired the We Build People Campaign for the Harrison Family YMCA in 2008.

“This award was wholly unexpected and we are humbled and sincerely honored by the recognition. There are so many people in this community that give generously and selflessly and we are grateful to all of them for inspiring a spirit of volunteerism in Rocky Mount,” said Deborah Sperati.

Deborah practices in the areas of Civil and Commercial Litigation, Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy. She frequently represents creditors in workouts, bankruptcies, collections, and lender liability matters. Her practice also includes representation of businesses and individual clients in a wide variety of civil litigation matters before State and Federal Courts, including contract disputes, fiduciary duty claims, property disputes and fraud claims.

She can be reached at 252.972.7095 or dsperati@poynerspruill.com.