Chamber Honors Business During 2010 Pinnacle Business Awards
KNOXVILLE, TN (April 30, 2010) - Honorees in nine categories where honored during the 2010 Pinnacle Business Awards presented by BB&T. Nearly 600 members of Knoxville’s business community helped recognize the winners. Dinner and a silent-auction preceded the awards ceremony.
The winners were:
Innovator Award
The Innovator Award is given to a business that has developed a new technology, innovative product or service, or applied a business system or service in an innovative way. These companies are helping to make the Innovation Valley a recognized location for new technologies and new ways of thinking.
Past winners of the Award are CTI Molecular Imaging, Radio Systems, Nucsafe, Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network, and UT-Battelle.
2010 winner:
Schaad Companies, LLC – A family-owned real estate holding company, Schaad co-founded the Zero Energy Building Research Alliance in 2008 with ORNL. The ZERBAlliance developed a four-house demonstration project that includes every cutting edge building technique being studied at ORNL. Using what it has learned through it’s partnership with ORNL, Schaad was the first builder in East Tennessee to complete and certify a new home to the Builders Challenge standard, which results in a highly energy efficient home. The company is now using these lessons in the commercial building and renovation markets.
Small Business Excellence Award
Past winners are Construction Plus, Impact Associates, Dayton’s Pest Control, Studio Four Design, and AC Entertainment.
The Small Business Award is presented to a business with 50 or fewer employees that has consistently grown its workforce and revenue and overcome obstacles including access to capital, operational efficiency, control of expenses, customer loyalty, and distribution.
2010 winner:
Partners Development – A full service, diversified real estate development firm, Partners has completed more than 100 projects in the Americas and Europe. Beginning as a brokerage and property management firm, the business now offers comprehensive facilities planning, financing, and development.
With 40 years experience in the real estate industry, Partners Development helps clients realize cost savings from the very beginning of a project. The company has constructed over $1 billion worth of space and can guarantee its fees in advance. With its smaller, private college clients Partners has become a part of the institutions team to help determine, finance, and build needed facilities often showing them how capital improvements can lead to greater bottom-line gains.
Impact Award
The Impact Award is presented to a business that displays a commitment to making East Tennessee a better place to live through the development and support of a community project or program.
First Tennessee, Pilot, Knoxville News Sentinel, Goody’s, and Food City have received the Award in the past.
2010 winner:
U.S. Cellular – In November 2008 U.S. Cellular launched “Calling All Communities” and in April 2009 began “Calling All Teachers.” These programs allow the public to vote for schools and teachers of their choice and U.S. Cellular makes donations to the winners. More than $450,000 has been donated to local education through these programs.
In addition to supporting education, U.S. Cellular supports the community in other ways. Banks of phones are made available to non-profits so those with limited means can call family during the holiday season. The U.S. Cellular Soccer Complex represents a major community investment where nearly 165,000 athletes have competed since 1999. And the company’s 715 associates have volunteered more than 2,900 hours over the last three years.
Minority Business Excellence Award
This award honors a minority business that has produced outstanding business results and growth, and overcome the obstacles of race while competing in a non-diverse field.
Previous awardees are Navarro Research and Engineering, Premier Building Maintenance Corporaton, NetGain, ES&H, Visionary Solutions, and Information International Associates.
2010 winner:
G2 Engineering & Management Inc. – Formed in 2000, G2 provides professional project management and technical support to a national client list. The company’s business lines include technical staffing, security system installation and support, facility management, metal recycling, equipment reuse, emergency response support, construction, and utility infrastructure support.
With offices in Knoxville, Norcross, Georgia, Denver, and Louisville, G2 works with the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, KUB, the US Air Force, and the FBI. Leading by example, the company employs a diverse workforce and procures 65 percent of its goods and services from diverse vendors.
Woman-Owned Business Excellence Award
This is a new category one for the Pinnacle Business Awards. The Woman-Owned Business Excellence Award is given to an outstanding East Tennessee woman-owned company that is independently owned, operated, and controlled by a female. The winner is selected based on a demonstrated ability to compete in a non-diverse field.
2010 winner:
Knoxville Comprehensive Breast Center – Based on a vision to change the surgery-driven breast health care system, KCBC was founded in 1983. The business has been successful through the use of cutting-edge technology and industry innovation and because earlier detection is less traumatic for women and more cost effective.
For 27 years KCBC has been the leader in providing quality breast care in Tennessee. In 1983 the company performed 650 mammograms and had billings of $200,000. It performed 20,000 mammograms last year and had billings of $19 million. It was the first to offer mobile screenings in rural areas of Tennessee and Kentucky and moved into a new 40,000 square-foot facility in 2009.
Business Excellence Awards
The Business Excellence Awards are presented to companies headquartered in East Tennessee or that have a significant presence here. These winners have shown remarkable profitability, growth, and stability. There will be two winners in this category, one for companies with 51 to 150 employees and another for companies with more than 150 employees.
Mid-Sized Business - Business Excellence Award
Past winners of the award are Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network, Merit Construction, and Prestige Cleaners.
2010 winner:
Analysis & Measurement Services Corporation – AMS provides a unique set of equipment, services, and training to the global nuclear power industry. The company was established in 1977 based on research conducted at UT and ORNL. According to Business Tennessee magazine, today it is one of the 100 fastest growing companies in the state.
AMS has seen tremendous growth during the last decade. The nuclear energy renaissance in the U.S. and around the world resulted in additional employees and a tripling of revenues. AMS also expanded operations in Europe and Asia.
Large Business - Business Excellence Award
Past winners of this award are Scripps Networks, Pilot Travel Centers, and Bandit Lites.
2010 winner:
Cherokee Distributing Company, Inc. – Cherokee is a family-owned and operated wholesale beverage distribution company founded in 1958. The company offers its customers in 22 East Tennessee counties more than 200 beer and non-alcoholic products with a commitment to providing excellent customer service.
Cherokee’s revenue has grown from $35 million to $75 million from 2003 to 2009, and now more than 150 employees serve customers. The increase in revenue and personnel has resulted from acquisitions in Knoxville and Johnson City. The new Tri-Cities location helps to ensure fast convenient service to all its customers.
Young Entrepreneur Award
The Young Entrepreneur Award recognizes the next generation of great business leaders. The award honors a professional that is forty or younger, who is on track to be one of tomorrow’s top business and community leaders. The winner will have started or be at-risk in ownership of his or her business.
Past winners are John Tolsma, Jimmy Rodefer, Chuck Witkowski, Chris Van Beke, and Sean Christman.
2010 winner:
Sara Hedstrom, president of Headstrom Design, LLC – After opening a successful Knoxville office of Carol R. Johnson Associates, a Boston-based landscape architecture firm, Sara Hedstrom launched her own firm in 2007. With a strong emphasis on continuing education and collaboration, the firm has grown. Hedstrom’s community work includes service on the East Tennessee Community Design Center board and with UT’s newly formed landscape architecture program; and she has performed work for the Oak Ridge Children’s Museum, Loudon County Habitat for Humanity, and Knox Housing Partnership.
James A. Haslam, II Leadership Award
Past awardees are James A. Haslam, II, Rodney Lawler, Bill Sansom, Pete DeBusk, and Mike Campbell.
The James A. Haslam, II Leadership Award is presented to a longtime business leader that exhibits strength in character, resolve, commitment to the community, and exemplary success in business.
The 2010 James A. Haslam, II Leadership Award winner is Sam Furrow.
Furrow was born in Roane County, holds an undergraduate and law degree from the University of Tennessee, and is a graduate of Repperts School of Auctioneering and the Certified Auctioneers Institute of Indiana University. His business interests include Furrow Auction Company, Mercedes-Benz of Knoxville, Land Rover of Knoxville, Land Rover of Chattanooga, Jaguar of Chattanooga, and real estate developments and investments.
He is past chairman of the United Way, the Knoxville Chamber, and the Knoxville Zoo boards of directors. And is past president of the Tennessee Auctioneers Association.