Champions of Small Business Honored at Chamber’s 201l Small Business Awards Celebration

Paul Gierow of GATR Technologies received the Russell Brown Executive Leadership Award, named in honor of Russell Brown who was a business and community leader and the first recipient of the Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
Celebrating the champions of small business in the Huntsville/Madison County community, the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County held its annual tribute to small businesses and their impact on the local economy at the 2011 Small Business Awards Celebration at the Von Braun Center. The sold-out event, presented by Regions Bank, featured more than 100 contenders among more than 400 nominees. Of the contenders, 18 finalists were selected by an independent, anonymous panel in six different categories before the winners were announced.

Chamber Board Chair Charlie Kettle, President/CEO of First Commercial Bank, told more than 1,200 attendees that the success of small business is critical to the local and the national economy.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our nation’s economy,” Kettle said, pointing to statistics from the U.S. Small Business Administration showing that small firms represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms in the U.S.

“Small businesses also employ more than half of all private sector employees in the U.S.,” Kettle said, adding that “small businesses represent more than 95 percent of the membership of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. So we honor you as the champions of our local, state and national economy.”

2011 Small Business Award Finalists and Winners

Government Contracting Services
Avion Solutions, Inc. - WINNER
Pinnacle Solutions, Inc.
PeopleTec, Inc.

Business/Professional Services
Cyn Shea’s Complete Catering – WINNER
BlueCreek Investment Partners
Alabama Foundation Specialist

Technology Services
GATR Technologies – WINNER
Digium, Inc.
Hawk Enterprises

Non-Profit
Choose Life of North Alabama – WINNER
National Children's Advocacy Center
HEALS, Inc.

Young Professional of the Year
Natalie Hasley – Bama Jammer, Inc. – WINNER
Ginger Harper – Iberia Bank
Kim Lewis – PROJECTXYZ

Russell Brown Executive Leadership Award
Paul Gierow – GATR Technologies – WINNER
Miranda Bouldin – LogiCore Corporation
Dr. Jonn Kim – GaN Corporation

Edward Egros and Christine Killimayer of the WHNT News 19 Sports Team served as emcees for the event.

See the videos of winners and finalists. »