March 10, 2008 04:54 pm
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By Melissa Dunson
mdunson@joplinglobe.com
There’s no monetary prize, but business owners, customers and employees nominated a record 80 local companies for the 2008 BKD Small Business of the Year honors.
“This has been one of the best years ever,” said Kim Vann, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce small-business manager. The chamber has given the awards annually since 1996.
To be eligible, nominated businesses have to be Joplin chamber members in good standing for two years. There are three categories: one to 10 employees, 11 to 50 employees and not-for-profits.
Businesses may nominate themselves, or be nominated by customers, employees or other business owners or chamber members. Nominees are contacted, and answer essay questions about their business philosophies and practices.
Vann said the chamber’s small-business council rates those answers, tallies the results and names the finalists in February.
In April, a different committee made up of members of the chamber board, the local business community and past winners interviews all finalists. Those interviews are rated, and one winner in each category is announced at the chamber’s annual banquet.
This year’s banquet is set for Thursday, April 24, at Hammons Convention Center.
The 2007 winners were Sign Designs, Dalton-Killinger Construction and the Community Clinic.
Winning small businesses receive trophies, and the chamber will promote their businesses throughout the year.
“It’s more the title and the visibility of it than anything else,” Vann said.
Melissa Dunson is the business writer for The Joplin Globe.
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