Press Release Archive: 2010 | 2009 | 2008

Applications Now Open for Small Business Awards

Honor outstanding success in growth, sales and innovation

COLUMBUS, Ohio – July 8, 2010 – Small business owners in Columbus, Ohio can now begin applying for the 2010 Small Business Leader Award (SBLA). Presented by the Columbus Chamber and its Small Business Council, the awards honor professionals whose companies demonstrate outstanding success in growth, sales and innovation.

Small companies—nearly 40,000 of them—are the foundation of the economy in the Columbus region. In fact, nine out of 10 Columbus Chamber members run small to mid-size enterprises. A small business is considered to have fewer than 500 employees.
Any small business in the Columbus region may apply for the SBLA.

Recipients in 2009 included Dan Bashore, John Killacky and Jerry Spencer of Bartha Audio Visual (over $1 million in revenue); Kamal Boulos of The Refectory Restaurant and Bistro (over $1 million in revenue); and Bill Baldarez of Webbed Marketing (under $1 million in revenue).

To be considered, completed applications must reach the Columbus Chamber no later than 5 p.m., September 9, 2010. Finalists and award recipients will be recognized at the Small Business Forum & Leader Awards, Tuesday, November 9 at The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel.

Learn more and download an application at http://www.columbus.org/sbfla.

The Small Business Forum & Leader Awards are presented in partnership with Commerce National Bank, Columbus Business First, and Rosati Windows. Leaders include Alterra Real Estate Advisors, Integrys Energy, Sequent, TechSolve, and Fast Signs. Patrons include Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, Columbia Gas of Ohio, Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP, State Auto Insurance Companies, Wells Fargo Insurance Services, and Spinelli's Deli. Breakout Sponsors include King Business Interiors Inc. and the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Columbus, and Council Patrons include Invergarry Partners and Portfolio Creative. Additional support is provided by Columbus Chamber Partners Anthem, the Columbus Crew, and CompManagement, Inc. with media promotion provided by Bartha Audio Visual, 99.7 the Blitz, Classic Hits 103.9, and WMNI AM.

-30-

About the Columbus Chamber
The Columbus Chamber, with 2,500 members, leads and supports economic growth and development in the Columbus region. Learn more about Columbus at www.columbus.org.