2017 Small Business of the Year Awards
FORT COLLINS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 2017 SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARDS
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce announced today the winners of its 2017 Small Business of the Year Awards, which recognize small businesses for their outstanding workplace culture, employee relations and community contributions. The winner for the small category (1-10 employees) is Vern’s Toffee House; winner for the medium category (11-50 employees) is Vaught, Frye, Larson Architects, Inc.; winner for the large category (51-200 employees) is Forney Industries, Inc.; and winner for the New Kid on the Block category (business in operation for less than three years) is Senior Life Solutions.
Winners were honored at the Celebrating Small Business Awards & Breakfast event on May 25, 2017 at Drake Center in Fort Collins. The event included a keynote presentation from Mark Driscoll, Colorado Market President for First National Bank.
“These outstanding businesses have exemplified the strong company culture and community involvement that keeps our local economy in motion,” said David May, President of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to honor these top businesses and say thank you for their contributions to northern Colorado.”
The New Kid on the Block winner, Senior Life Solutions, is an in-home service provider that enhances the quality of life of senior citizens and those who care for them in northern Colorado. Through professional care management and counseling services, Senior Life Solutions provides physical, emotional, social and spiritual support. They operate on the values of professionalism, respect, integrity, dignity and excellence (PRIDE) to create a culture that treasures older individuals. In addition, Senior Life Solutions value community service so much that employees are given paid time off for their volunteer time.
Vern’s Toffee House, the small category winner, is a family-owned business that has the market cornered on scrumptious, hand-stirred butter almond toffee for 40 years. The company is proud to uphold traditional, small-business values such as hard work, pride in a locally produced product, and outstanding customer service. Vern’s Toffee House supports the community through its involvement with several local causes, including Pathways, Ramstrength, Elderhaus, Crossroads Safehouse and many more.
Vaught Frye Larson Architects, Inc., a full-capacity architectural firm, received top honors in the medium category. For more than 30 years, Vaught Frye Larson Architects, Inc., has offered an array of architectural and interior design services and has completed countless projects in the Fort Collins area. This company is involved in the community through its participation in United Way Business Cares and Climatewise, as well as through its support of charities, such as Boys and Girls Club of Larimer and Weld County, Crossroads Safehouse, Animal House and more.
Large category winner, Forney Industries, Inc., dates all the way back to 1932 and is a national leader in supplying the retail and industrial markets with metal working and welding products. This company lives by the motto, “We succeed when our customers succeed,” and therefore places great emphasis on innovation, product quality and expert marketing strategy. In addition, Forney Industries, Inc. has integrated itself into the community in numerous ways: participating in Adopt-A-Street events, hosting a Bike to Work Day station, coordinating blood drives with the Garth Englund Blood Center and many more.
Finalists for all four categories are as follows: Small: Onsight Auto Glass, Vern’s Toffee House; Medium: FLEXX Productions, Vaught Frye Larson Architects, Inc., Workspace Innovations, Colorado In Motion; Large: Forney Industries, Neuworks Mechanical, Inc., The Women’s Clinic of Northern Colorado; New Kid on the Block: Elevate Chiropractic, Senior Life Solutions, Valimenta Labs.
The Small Business of the Year Awards are underwritten by First National Bank, Kaiser Permanente, Adams Bank & Trust, Blue Federal Credit Union, Comcast, Hunt, Spillman & Associates, P.C., Mantooth Marketing Company, Total Facility Care, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Northern Colorado Catering and Sign-A-Rama
2017 Small Business of the Year Finalists Announced
The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce has announced 12 finalists for the 2017 Small Business of the Year Awards. Finalists were selected from four different categories including businesses with 1-10 employees, 11-50 employees, 51-200 employees, and New Kid on the Block, celebrating businesses in operation for less than three years. The 2017 Small Business of the Year Awards will be presented on Thursday, May 25, 2017, at 7:30 a.m. at The Drake Center.
The breakfast will feature keynote speaker, Mark Driscoll, Colorado Market President for First National Bank. During Mark’s tenure at the bank, he has served various management and lending roles, and most recently as President of First National Bank’s Colorado.
The finalists for the 2017 Small Business of the Year Awards are:
For the small company category (1-10 employees):
- OnSight Auto Glass – a family-owned certified auto glass company with trained, experienced professionals
- Vern’s Toffee – a family-owned and operated maker of award-winning butter almond toffee, distributed across the United States
For the medium company category (11-50 employees):
- Colorado In Motion – a locally owned business bringing decades of clinical experience together in the physical therapy, occupational therapy, and the industrial health industry
- Flexx Productions – an event rental company providing tents and seasoned expertise for events of any size
- Vaught, Frye, Larson Architects, Inc. – a full capacity architectural firm offering comprehensive design, planning and management services
- Workspace Innovations – a full service commercial interiors and relocation company
For the large company category (51-200 employees):
- Forney Industries – a nationwide leader in the distribution of metal working and welding products into the retail and industrial markets
- Neuworks Mechanical, Inc. – providing commercial and residential services for new construction, remodels, and maintaining current systems
- Women’s Clinic – an OB/GYN medical practice focused on women’s health issues and quality of life
For the New Kid on the Block category (business in operation for less than three years):
- Elevate Chiropractic – a chiropractic office specializing in advanced, neurologically based corrective care for the whole family
- Senior Life Solutions – an in-home service provider enhancing the quality of life of older adults and those who care for them in northern Colorado through professional care management and counseling services
- Valimenta Labs – a nano-technology contract manufacturing company in the dietary supplement, animal feed, food and drink market.
The event kicks off a day of celebrating local small businesses and will continue with the annual Business After Hours Tradeshow from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m., also at The Drake Center, 802 W. Drake Road.
Tickets for the awards breakfast are now available for purchase for $25 for individual members, $35 for non-members or $250 for a table of 10. Booth space is also available for the After Hours Tradeshow and both can be purchased at fortcollinschamber.com or by calling (970) 482-3746.
The Small Business of the Year Awards are underwritten by First National Bank, Kaiser Permanente, Adams Bank & Trust, Blue Federal Credit Union, Comcast , Hunt, Spillman & Associates, P.C., Mantooth Company, Total Facility Care, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and Sign-A-Rama.
Previous Small Business Events Include:
2016 Small Business of the Year Awards
2015 Small Business of the Year Awards
2014 Small Business of the Year Awards
