During festivities that began for many attendees with a cocktail hour outside on the patio at the Bolingbrook Country Club, the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its dinner to present the 17th Annual Small Business of the Year Awards inside the spacious ballroom beginning at 7PM Fri., May 30.
The gala event, recognizing 33 nominated businesses with top awards in five categories, attracted roughly 250 members and guests to celebrate the contributions and successes of the local small business community. Kevin Colbert, owner of Colbert Custom Framing and Art Printing, served as Master of Ceremonies.
The SBY Awards are divided into five categories with one overall winner. Categories include Business-to-Business, Business-to-Consumer, Professional, Service and Not-for-Profit. Members nominate one another for the awards. Once nominations are submitted, the winners are selected by a panel of previous winners, Colbert explained.
Before the awards were announced, three young professional business owners were recognized for their up-and-coming businesses. Handsomely framed certificates were presented to Matthew Rasche of Bull and Bear, Zakery Kates of Simple Edge Marketing and Mike Healy of Velocity Energy.
Winners of 2014 SBY Awards
Business-to-Business: Design & Promote
Business-to-Consumer: Reebie Storage & Moving
Professional: Sikich LLP
Service: Showalter Roofing Service, Inc.
Not-for-Profit: KidsMatter
Design & Promote / 2014 Overall Small Business of the Year
After all the other awards were announced, Design & Promote was recognized as the overall Small Business of the Year for 2014.
Design & Promote is an internet marketing and web design firm. The group led by Bruce Jones works with local and national businesses to increase brand exposure and online recognition through a comprehensive portfolio of marketing services. For more information about the Naperville-based firm, visit www.designandpromote.com/.
“The Chamber thanks and congratulates this year’s overall winner, Design & Promote, and all of the category winners for their hard work, innovation and outstanding service,” said Nicki Anderson, president & CEO of the Naperville Area Chamber. “I also want to acknowledge that all of our nominees are great businesses in their own right, and congratulate them on all of their success.”
Lifetime Achievement
During the awards gala, a Lifetime Achievement Award also is presented to a business or civic leader for their commitment to Naperville’s business community, excellence in business stewardship, contributions to the region’s quality of life, and leadership in support of economic progress.
The 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award honored Mayor A. George Pradel.
The award presentation was a family affair with Gary Pradel’s turning the microphone over to his sister, Carol Pradel, who provided highlights, good humor and the challenges of growing up in a family dedicated to service. She also mentioned that her folks will celebrate 54 years of marriage in August.
“It is with great pleasure that we name Mayor Pradel as our 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient,” said Nicki Anderson, president & CEO of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. “He has done so much for our city while serving on the police force and being the longest serving Mayor in our history. So many of us have a personal connection to him, and he has been a great friend to the Chamber.”
During closing remarks Anderson expressed her appreciation to all 33 of this year’s nominees, panel judges, attendees as well as the Chamber staff for a very successful 17th anniversary event.
The evening was presented and sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
For more information on the SBY Awards or the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, visit www.naperville.net.
Honor Roll of SBY Awards since 1998
Previous recipients of the overall Small Business of Year have been Hitchcock Design Group, 1998; UNETY Systems, Inc., 1999; FASTSIGNS, 2000; Elegante Salons & Day Spas, 2001; Colbert Custom Framing, 2002; BBM, Inc., 2003; john greene, Realtor, 2004; Brennan & Brosnan, LLC.,2005; My Chef Catering, 2006; Belgio’s Catering, 2007; Newman Architecture, 2008; Naperville Running Company, 2009; Anderson’s Bookshop, 2010; Chef By Request Catering, 2011; Clark’s Car Care, 2012; Naperville Dental Specialists & General Oral Health Care, 2013.
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