Promoting Excellence in Small Business

Two of ten winners of the Chamber’s 2008 Excellence Awards Honoring the Region’s Small Businesses are featured in this issue: Customer Service Excellence of the Year, Sterling Limousine & Transportation Services; and Innovative Business of the Year, Connexus Technology. Be sure to look for additional winners in upcoming issues. Nominations for the 2009 Excellence Awards will be accepted starting in April.

Customer Service Excellence of the Year, Sterling Limousine & Transportation Services (John A. Donohoe Jr. & John A. Donohoe III)

John A. Donohoe Jr., John A. Donohoe III, and Joe Tammarro, Regional Vice President Commerce Bank

"Transportation for All Occasions" is the motto Sterling Limousine lives up to, from airports, sports events and concerts to weddings, proms and other special occasions. A superior ride and ultra convenient arrangements– whether it’s for an intimate celebration, group getaway or business trip– are always the Sterling goal.

After 15 years as a reliable provider of transportation services, Sterling was purchased by JADCO Enterprises, Inc. in 2002. With John A. Donohoe Jr., serving as President and CEO, and his son, John A. Donohoe III (or "Johnny"), as Director of Operations, Sterling is a family-owned and operated enterprise. The staff of 60 has always focused their efforts on catering to each customer’s needs.

The company prides itself on offering flexible, customized service. The goal is to provide everyone– teenagers, parents, business travelers, wedding parties and corporate event planners– with the most courteous and stress-free transportation available.

Through John and Johnny’s leadership, Sterling has grown the size of its business and its fleet, now exceeding 40 vehicles ranging from sedans and minibuses to stretch Hummers and super-stretch limos. It is fully licensed, insured and certified, with every vehicle expertly maintained and driven by hand-picked, trained professional chauffeurs.

Sterling is actively involved in giving back to the communities it serves in Bucks County, with a special emphasis on providing support through sponsorships of youth and high school sports organizations in Newtown, Northampton and Langhorne.

The tri-state area is served by the main office in Wrightstown, PA, with plans underway for the construction of a new 21,000 sq. ft. building on five acres. Sterling Limousine also has an annex in the Pittsburgh area and plans to open offices in the Washington- Baltimore and North Jersey-New York City marketplaces within the next few years.

The award was sponsored by Commerce Bank.

To be considered for Customer Service Excellence of the Year, companies must demonstrate numerous examples of going above and beyond in service to the customer. They must have special programs and initiatives in service to the customer and be involved in the community.

Innovative Business of the Year, Connexus Technology, (Lawrence A. James & Christopher Holland)

Christopher Holland, Lawrence A. James, and Rosemary Turner, Vice President Metro Philadelphia District, UPS

Lawrence James graduated from Drexel University in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems. After working as a software system consultant, he and Christopher Holland, a fellow Drexel alum with a degree in Computer Science and similar experience, decided to build a company focused on designing information management solutions to connect people and information. Together, they created Connexus Technology in 2003 to provide information technology services to large organizations in the public and private sectors.

Connexus Technology is a provider of Business Intelligence (BI), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and System Integration services to help large organizations make better decisions and improve performance. It provides customers with the expertise to derive value from existing data investments as well as improve visibility across the enterprise to directly impact growth, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiencies. They also provide solutions designed to manage information flow, data integrity, Web site content and enterprise level information portals.

Connexus built its business by tackling difficult jobs that other companies shied away from. Today, with a complement of 11 employees, its client list includes Drexel University, Philadelphia Department of Records, Philadelphia Parking Authority, and Rohm and Haas. Among their top achievements: implementation of a SmartCard-based ID program designed for the School District of Philadelphia that implemented an efficient reporting system for student attendance to dramatically reduce truancy rates.

As a certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Connexus is actively involved in community-building activities, including Feed the Homeless, urban youth basketball programs, and financial support for faith-based development initiatives. Recently, they rolled out PrayerConnexus, a web-based system aimed at uniting people around the world by connecting those in need of prayer with members of churches and other organizations that have a desire to pray for others.

In 2007, the two founders also were presented with a Young Entrepreneur of the Year award by the Small Business Administration and by Citizens Bank.

The award was sponsored by UPS.

To be considered for Innovative Business of the Year, companies must have a groundbreaking or original product or service that sets the company apart from others. They have to possess an advanced or new use of technology and be involved in the community.