Small Business Awards Connect Businesses

“Fantastic job with the Small Business Awards. The planning and execution of the event was remarkable!  Everything that I had heard about the event was true - and more. My team thoroughly enjoyed themselves last Thursday evening. Job well done!”

-Ross Kramer, President & CEO, Listrak

Perhaps one of the biggest opportunities at the Chamber’s recent Small Business Excellence Awards (SBEA) dinner dance turned out to be all the informal networking at this very formal affair.

The Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing was an elegant backdrop for this 24th annual event honoring 10 small business leaders for their outstanding contributions to the tri-state region.

Over 330 people celebrated with the winners, who were chosen for their entrepreneurial spirit, diversity and perseverance by a committee comprised of past winners, small business member volunteers and sponsors.

With 85% of the Chamber membership comprised of businesses with less than 100 employees – and with half of those having 6 or fewer employees – the Chamber takes great pride in hosting this celebration.

“Part of our job at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce is to nurture small businesses and to advocate for them so that they can grow, expand and be included among our major employers that are the drivers of our regional economy,” said Chamber President & CEO Mark Schweiker. “They embody the promise of our region and their successful enterprises help make this an attractive place to do business.”

None of the winners went home empty-handed, but a few walked away with some valuable business connections from networking with large and small companies throughout the SBEA process: from participating in the nominating committee or sponsoring the program, to attending the breakfast, roundtable event, and Awards’ dinner. A UPS representative raved about how the SBEA Winners Breakfast “was the best networking opportunity she had been to all year.”

Berry & Homer employees were so thrilled about the award that they placed a full-page ad in The Inquirer to congratulate the owners and they covered their building with their own product, a wall mural featuring the SBEA logo in the category they were awarded: Family Business of the Year.

Joel Smith, chairman of the Chamber’s Small Business Board, said he was “fascinated by the cross-section of winners – from the ‘grandfathers’ to the ‘newborns.’ Some companies have been around for nearly a century or more; while others are babes in the woods in their entrepreneurial enterprises – and yet on the cutting edge of the technological age. It’s an interesting juxtaposition: many have been focused on inventing a place for themselves in the world; while others have been busy reinventing themselves to continue their competitive stride.”

The 2007 Award winners were honored in the following categories: Customer Service Excellence(Smart Park, Inc.); Emerging Business(Defense Solutions, LLC);Family Business(Berry & Homer);InnovativeBusiness (OmPay, LLC);Manufacturer (Union Packaging, LLC); Non-profit Organization(Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center);Retailer(Robertson’s Flowers);andTechnological Excellence(Listrak). Individual awards were presented to theSmall Business Person of the Year(Al Basilicato of Numonics Corporation)and the Young Entrepreneur of the Year(Marco Lentini of Gia` Pronto).

The event was supported through partnerships and cooperation from big businesses to provide smaller businesses with a chance to succeed. The sponsors for the 2007 Awards were: Bank of America, BenFranklin Technology Partners, Commerce Bank, Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center, Firstrust Bank, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, PNC Bank, Susquehanna Patriot Bank, UPS and Wachovia. Exquisite floral arrangements were provided by Retailer of the Year, Robertson’s Flowers.