From an indoor shooting range to a retailer of products made by war refugees, 12 Tarrant County businesses were announced as finalists for the Fort Worth Chamber’s annual Small Business of the Year Awards on Wednesday.
“The continued diversity of industries represented by 2012’s accomplished finalists speaks volumes as to the positive implications towards Tarrant County’s economy for years to come,” said Jeff Meisner, founder/CEO of Skyline DFW Exhibits and chairman of the Chamber’s Small Business Council in a news release. “As the 2007 Small Business of the Year Award winner, Skyline DFW has experienced firsthand the enrichment of growth that results from this exceptional accomplishment.”
Finalists were chosen from a field of a record-setting 94 nominees and 38 applicants in four categories based on number of employees. They are judged on business growth and performance, sound business strategies and practices, customer service strategies, business challenges, unique and innovative approaches, and community involvement.
The business owners and representatives will be honored at a Chamber Business After Hours event Tuesday, January 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel downtown. The awards will be presented at a reception prior to Mayor Betsy Price’s State of the City address March 5, 2013. The presenting sponsor for the awards is Community Bank.
Finalists by Category:
Emerging Businesses
• Peloton Land Solutions, LLLP – civil engineering and land development services
• Shoot Smart – indoor shooting range and training center
• WORN for Peace — online retailer of hand-knitted accessories made by war refugees
1-10 EMPLOYEES
• Path to Wellness Chiropractic – comprehensive chiropractic services
• Red Productions – full-service video production company
• Village Homes — Builder of diverse homes in the $150,000 – $1 million range
11-50 EMPLOYEES
• Composite Cooling Solutions, L.P. – custom-built pultruded composite cooling towers
• Perrone Pharmacy, Inc. / PerroneRX, LLC — independent retail pharmacy and long-term care services
• Texas Jet, Inc. — executive terminal for private aircraft
51-150 EMPLOYEES
• Mac Churchill Acura — customer-driven luxury vehicle retailer
• MULTATECH Engineering, Inc., dba: MULTATECH — full-service architectural and engineering firm
• The Landscape Partners, LTD – regional commercial landscape maintenance company
Finalists will be judged on their written applications and on-site visits from a group comprised of business professionals, MBA or Entrepreneur Center students at TCU’s Neeley School of Business, and past award winners who are members of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. More than 90 percent of the Fort Worth Chamber’s membership is made up of small businesses with fewer than 100 employees.
Additional sponsors for the 2013 Small Business of the Year Award program are TCU’s Neeley School of Business Entrepreneurship Center, Charter Business, and the Fort Worth Business Press.