Celebrating Small Business
Winners Recognized at Small Business Lunch
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce held their first ever Celebrating Small Business Award & Luncheon event at The Hilton Fort Collins earlier today, April 25, 2012. Over 30 companies were nominated to receive the Small Business of the Year Awards with only two awards being given, one for a company with 1-10 employees and one for a company with11-50 employees.
The award for the company with 1-10 employees was presented to Shaw & Associates. Shaw & Associates offer comprehensive business services including tax preparation and consultation, full accounting, bookkeeping services, training and financial planning including securities and life insurance. Shaw & Associates was opened by Kevin Shaw in 1997.
The award for the company with 11-50 employees was presented to The Cupboard. The Cupboard is a 10,000 square foot kitchen specialty store that has been a downtown institution inFort Collinssince 1972. Carey Hewitt, current President, has been actively involved in the business since 1972 and in 2007 his son, Jim, became a welcome partner in the business.
Finalists for the awards also included: AlphaGraphics, Brinkman Partners, MazTech & All-Tech Automotive and Palmer Flowers. The finalists and winners were selected from the nominees by a panel of eight Chamber members.
The luncheon featured Master of Ceremonies Mark Driscoll, First National Bank, Keynote Speaker Lacy Edwards, Executive in Residence at Rocky Mountain Innosphere and Award Presenters Donna Chapel, Chapel & Collins, alongside David May, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce.
The luncheon celebrated small businesses and their contributions toFort Collinswhile kicking off the annual Spring Showcase.
About the Small Business of the Year Award: For this award, a small business is defined as an independently owned and operated business headquartered in northern Colorado that is organized for profit. The business is required to have 200 employees or fewer to be eligible. To receive a Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award, the company must be a member of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce at the time the award is presented and have been in business three years. Businesses were judged on: community involvement and stewardship, commitment to good business practices, overall business growth, innovation, and workplace culture and employee relations.
Chamber Announces 2012 Small Business of the Year Award Keynote Speaker, Lacy Edwards
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that their keynote speaker for the Celebrating Small Business Award & Luncheon event will be Lacy Edwards, Executive in Residence at Rocky Mountain Innosphere. Lacy Edwards will be speaking to the importance of small business as well as his accomplishments in the software industry. The luncheon is to be held at 11:30 a.m. at The Hilton Fort Collins, 425 W. Prospect Rd., Fort Collins, Colo. on April 25, 2012.
“I admire what the Chamber is doing with this event. I know it will serve the business community and city of Fort Collins well,”¯ said Edwards.
Edwards has spent twenty years as a software industry CEO, has led successful IPO, raised several hundred million dollars in public and private capital, managed numerous mergers, acquisition and divestitures and has led companies through high growth as well as through downsizing. Edwards received the Harvard Business School Club's “Entrepreneur of the Year”¯ in 2000 and also received Insider Magazine's “CEO of the Year”¯ in 1989. Edwards is nationally known and an active public speaker.
Chamber Announces Small Business Finalists
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce announced the finalists for the 2012 Small Business of the Year Awards.
The 2012 Business of the Year Awards will be presented at the first ever Celebrating Small Business Award & Luncheon event, to be held at 11:30 a.m. at The Hilton Fort Collins,425 W. Prospect Rd.,Fort Collins, Colo.on April 25, 2012.
The luncheon will celebrate small businesses and their contributions toFort Collinswhile kicking of the annual Spring Showcase.
Over 30 companies were nominated to receive the Small Business of the Year Awards with awards being given for companies with 1-10 employees and 11-50 employees. Finalists for the awards include: AlphaGraphics, Brinkman Partners, The Cupboard, MazTech & All-Tech Automotive, Shaw & Associates and Palmer Flowers.
For this award, a small business is defined as an independently owned and operated business headquartered in northernColoradothat is organized for profit. The business is required to have 200 employees or fewer to be eligible.
To receive a Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award, the company must be a member of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce at the time the award is presented and have been in business three years. Businesses will be judged on: community involvement and stewardship, commitment to good business practices, overall business growth and innovation and workplace culture and employee relations.
Spring Showcase
Join us for the 16th Annual Spring Showcase - April 25 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Hilton Fort Collins, 425 W Prospect
With more than 65 companies participating and 1000 attendees expected, the 16th Annual Spring Showcase is expected to be the largest springtime trade show in Northern Colorado.
Booth Information:
Small Business of the Year Awards
A brand new event for the chamber, the Small Business of the Year luncheon will be held 11:30 a.m. at the Hilton Fort Collins, 425 W. Prospect on April 25, 2012.The Small Business of the Year Event is a celebration of small employers and their contribution to Fort Collins. The lunch will begin at 11:30am and will feature a keynote address (speaker to be announced) and the recognition of three companies (1-10 Employees, 11-50 Employees, 51-200 Employees). The luncheon will celebrate small employers and their contribution to Fort Collins while kicking of the annual Spring Showcase.
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce released nomination forms for the 2012 Small Business of the Year Awards in February.
Community members are encouraged to nominate area businesses for the awards which will be given to three companies: 1-10 employees, 11-50 employees and 51-200 employees. For this award, a small business is defined as an independently owned and operated business headquartered in northern Colorado that is organized for profit. The business has 200 employees or fewer. To receive a Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award, the company must be a member of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce at the time the award is presented and have been in business three years. Businesses will be judged on: community involvement and stewardship, commitment to good business practices, overall business growth and innovation and workplace culture and employee relations. Applications are being accepted until March 7 and can be downloaded HERE.
About 200 business professionals and community leaders are expected at the Small Business of the Year luncheon. Individual ticket prices are $35 per person for Chamber members and $40 per person for non-members. A table of 10 people is $300. Registration is available HERE or call the Chamber at (970) 482-3746.
Check back to this page for updates on the event and resources you can use!
The Chamber would like to extend a special thank you to the event sponsors.
Partner Sponsor:
First National Bank
Supporter Sponsor:
Dellenbach Chevrolet, Cadillac, Subaru and Suzuki
Fort CollinsDodge Chrysler Jeep Hyundai
Mantooth Marketing
Pinnacol Assurance
Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.
Tynan's Nissan Kia & Saab
Ward Petroleum
Event Spoinsor:
JAX Mercantile
Perkins & Coie Law Firm
