NEWS RELEASE
Media Contact for the Chamber:
Erin Murphy, 617.557.7324
September 3, 2008
Chamber Announces Winners of 2008 ‘Small Business of the Year’ Awards
Hartney Greymont, Bakers’ Best, Elizabeth Grady, and Dr. Janet Wolfe
to be honored at October 16 Luncheon
Boston, Mass. (September 3, 2008) – The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce today announced the winners of its 2008 Small Business of the Year Awards. Hartney Greymont was named the ‘Small Business of the Year.’ Bakers’ Best and Elizabeth Grady will both receive the ‘Business Excellence Award’ and Dr. Janet Wolfe, president & founder of Wolfe Laboratories, Inc., will be honored with the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award.
This year’s Small Business of the Year Awards Luncheon will be held at the Colonnade Hotel on October 16, 2008 at 12 p.m. Wyc Grousbeck, managing partner & CEO of the World Champion Boston Celtics, will be the event’s featured speaker, and Anthony Silva of WBZ-AM 1030 will be the Master of Ceremonies.
Now in its 24th year, the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year Awards recognize the entrepreneurial achievements of Greater Boston’s smaller for-profit companies who have gross revenues over $2 million and display strong financial performance, achievement in management, workplace excellence, product innovation, and community and social responsibility.
“This year’s winners are an excellent representation of the innovative spirit, focus on excellence, and commitment to the community that define the region’s small business community,” said Paul Guzzi, president & CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber. “Each award recipient demonstrates the best of business and entrepreneurship in Greater Boston. We look forward to honoring each of them on October 16.”
This year’s Small Business of the Year, Hartney Greymont, is an employee-owned company noted for its commitment to staff and high level of industry knowledge that has served as one of America’s preeminent tree care providers for 70 years. The company’s passion for arboriculture fuels the research, innovation, and conservation that help protect Greater Boston’s ecosystem while also securing 20 years of business growth and profitability.
The first recipient of this year’s Award for Business Excellence, Bakers’ Best, is a full-service catering and take-out restaurant committed to offering the highest quality, the freshest ingredients, and the friendliest customer service. Founded with a limited menu in 1984, Bakers’ Best now operates two locations and delivers food to 600-800 customers per day.
The second recipient of the Award for Business Excellence, Elizabeth Grady, is the dominant skincare salon platform in the Northeast with a commitment to customer service, education, salon development, and new product services. Now serving over 300,000 clients annually, The Elizabeth Grady Company promotes the achievement and maintenance of healthy skin for all people, and focuses on helping clients rejuvenate their bodies while looking their best.
Dr. Janet Wolfe, president & founder of Wolfe Laboratories, Inc., will be honored with this year’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Dr. Wolfe focuses on customizing pre-clinical discovery and development services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in order to stay ahead of the competition. Working with a broad range of companies, Wolfe Laboratories designs and implements projects that meet the scientific needs and timeframes of their numerous
clients.
Winners were selected from a large pool of qualified applicants that was first narrowed down to nine semi-finalists, from which a group of finalists was selected. The Small Business of the Year selection committee made site visits to the finalists to gain first-hand knowledge of their operations. Previous winners include Cafco Construction Management Inc., The Piantedosi Baking Company, Stacy’s Pita Chip Company, Finagle a Bagel, Boston Duck Tours, Gentle Giant Moving
Company, Nantucket Nectars, and J.P. Licks.