KOSBE Announces 2014 KOSBE Awards Contenders
October 16, 2014
Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE) News Release
Thursday, October 16, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Dana Glenn
Administrative & Marketing Coordinator, KOSBE
Kingsport Chamber of Commerce
Ph: (423) 392-8811
dglenn@kingsportchamber.org
KOSBE Announces 2014 KOSBE Awards Contenders
KINGSPORT, Tenn. – The Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE) today announced 25 area small businesses as contenders for the 20th Annual KOSBE Awards. At a special recognition event on Thursday, December 11th, from 6 to 9 PM, at The Club at Ridgefield’s in Kingsport, Tennessee, the winners will be revealed.
“According to the Small Business Administration, companies employing less than 500 employees are the backbone of our economy. These companies employ over half of the private sector workforce and have created nearly two-thirds of the nation’s net new jobs over the past decade,” said this year’s awards chair, Larry Estepp, Executive Vice President at Citizens Bank. “We are proud of our local entrepreneurs that put their capital at risk; work long hours, give unselfishly, offer employment opportunities and make our community the best it can be. It is now time to recognize each for their dedication and celebrate their successes.”
“Again, I am impressed not only with the new entrants but with the companies that have made the decision to compete again. Every business has a story. It is our duty to get these stories out. The competition is a vehicle to sharing best practices, lessons learned and the challenges of owning and operating a small business,” said KOSBE Executive Director, Aundrea Wilcox. “Competition is healthy and good for business. Competing can make an old business new again, and help a new business make itself known.”
The 2014 KOSBE Awards contenders:
• Alan Bracken Inspiring Greatness — Speaking & Leadership Development (Alan Bracken)
• Appville 101 – Marketing (Keddrain Bowen)
• B&H Wealth Strategies – Retirement Planning (Jeff Bingham)
• Baker’s Jewelry – Retail Jewelry Store (Patti Baker)
• Bellafina Chocolates – Chocolate Manufacturing (Brenda Barnicki)
• Boehm Landscape, Inc. – Grounds Maintenance (Chris Boehm)
• Branded. – Corporate Branding & Promotional Products (Tara Burns)
• Brushstrokes n’ More – Paint Your Own Pottery Studio (Kaye Ball)
• Charlemont – Full Service Salon Boutique (Myra King)
• Chris Mullins Co. – Installation & Acoustics Contractor (Bryan Mullins)
• CrossBridge Wealth Management – Financial Advisory & Insurance (Kevin Wilson)
• CrossFit Kingsport & Johnson City – Strength & Conditioning Fitness (Dustin Mohr)
• Fanatics 101 – Sports Retail (Keddrain Bowen)
• Inquiry Technologies – Educational Software Development (Scott Stuckey)
• Jennings Group – Tax & Bookkeeping Services (Christe Jennings)
• Johnson City Ballroom —Ballroom & Latin Dance (Darian & Tiffany Chancellor)
• Landmark GIS – Computer Mapping & Data Analysis (Russ Davis)
• Millennium Auto Collision – Auto Collision Repairs (Cassandra Honaker)
• No 7 Designs – Screen Printing (Troy Wade)
• Rae Design – Marketing Agency (Chelsie Gregory)
• Senior Citizens Services – In-home Care for Seniors (Teri Gilliam)
• Sleepy Owl Brewery –Craft Beer Brewing & Wholesaler/Retailer (Brian Connatser)
• Storage Plex – Self Storage (Kelly Zimmerman)
• The Eclectic Handywoman – Home and Lawn Maintenance Services (Jodi Lynn Jenkins)
• TN Shush Shoes – Ladies Shoes & Accessories (Marilyn Dockery)
In addition to naming the winners of the business competition, KOSBE will also announce the recipient of the Impact Award for an outstanding individual and small business advocate who has made an impact on the business scene through years of hard work.
Selections will be made based on customer relationship strategy, story of success overcoming adversity, community involvement, financial strength, best practices, marketing creativity and presented strategies for growth.
Tickets to the celebration event are $65 per person and must be purchased in advance in person at the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, or by calling (423) 392.8811. This event has been sold out for the past four consecutive years. Seating is limited and early ticket purchases are highly recommended. All ticket sales are final and non-refundable. The public is invited to attend.
Sponsors include: CenturyLink, Cumberland Marketing, Dyke’s Trucking, F&L Limo & Livery, Phil’s Dream Pit, ChamberZone, East Tennessee Eye Care, Eastman Chemical Company, Food City, Fish Window Cleaning, Hair Bender’s Salon, Holston Valley Broadcasting, Hunter, Smith and Davis, Kingsport Times-News, Mickey Baker Photography, NETWORKS – Sullivan Partnership, The Business Journal, Thompson Metal Services, Times Digital Group, Triten Insurance, VIP Seen Tri-Cities Magazine, AdviCoach Tri-Cities, Elite Manufacturing and Professional Services, Hillhouse Graphic Design, Pathway Lending, SunTrust Bank, and The Angel Rountable.
Event Partners include: Flowers by CopperCreek, Lake Pointe Advertising & Awards, Pristine Springs Water, and The Club at Ridgefield’s.
About KOSBE Awards
Inaugurated in 1994, the Annual KOSBE Awards is the longest running and most recognized small business-focused awards program in the Tri-Cities area. To learn more, please visit www.kosbeawards.org.
About KOSBE
The mission of KOSBE is to be the go-to organization in the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their business, by acquiring or creating and developing the right tools and resources (i.e., KOSBE.org, Mobile App KOSBE 2.0®, SBDCNet®, GrowthWheel®, ProfitCents®, ReferenceUSA®) and cultivating the right partnerships (i.e., Tennessee Small Business Development Centers, Kingsport Office of Foreign Investment & Trade (KOFIT), AccelNow Northeast Tennessee Accelerator).
To learn more, please call 423-392-8811, or visit www.kosbe.org.
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