SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS: The Salt Lake Chamber Small Business Awards had its origins in the Small Business of the Year award given by the Chamber beginning in 1987. In 1997 other categories were added and the awards were renamed the Giant Step Small Business Awards. In 2002 “Giant Step” was dropped to end confusion with the Chamber’s “A Giant in our City” award. The Small Business Awards honor small businesses for their growth, innovation and involvement.  They are the most prestigious awards that the Chamber gives to small business. With 85 percent of its membership classified as small businesses, the Salt Lake Chamber is proud to support the success of small business in Utah. In 2009, this annual event joined forces with the Chamber’s Annual Meeting.

Photo above is of the 2009 Small Business Honorees and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

1987
Small Business of the Year:
Guardian Title Company of Utah 
Courtney L. Wrathall


1988
Small Business of the Year:
Cytozyme Laboratories, Inc. 
Steve Baughman


1989
Small Business of the Year:
Morris/Ask Mr. Foster Travel
Rusty McNeal 


1990
Small Business of the Year:
Terabit Computer Engineering


1991
Small Business of the Year:
Eckhoff, Watson & Preator Engineering
David Eckhoff and Greg Thorpe


1992
Small Business of the Year:
Maxcomm Associates Inc.
W.A. (Bill) Adams, Emil Bohn, and Diana S. Furr


1993
Small Business of the Year:
Chris Matthews & Associates 
Chris Matthews


1995
Small Business of the Year:
MHTN Architects
Lynn Jones


1996
Small Business of the Year:
Christopherson Business Travel Consultants
Michael A. Cameron


1997
Small Business of the Year:
Professional Staff Management, Inc.
William J. Miller

Entrepreneurial Success:
NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 
Hunter Jackson

Community Service:
Payless Car Rental 
Sam Russell

Home-Based Business Success:
Your Best Impression
Sue Clift-Stahle


1998
Small Business of the Year:
Log Haven
Margo Provost

Entrepreneurial Success:
ConsultNet
Donald J. Goldberg

Community Service:
Crete-Co
Steven Jensen

Home-Based Business Success:
McArthur Consulting 
Karen McArthur


1999
Small Business of the Year:
Anchor Printing & Graphics 
Tanya Henrie

Entrepreneurial Success: 
Wasatch Crest Insurance Companies
Orrin T. Colby, Jr.

Community Service:
Beneco Enterprises, Inc. 
Bob Newberry

Home-Based Business Success:
American Packaging Group, Inc.
Jeffrey Tiede


2000
Small Business of the Year:
Van Boerum & Frank Associates, Inc.
J. Howard Van Boerum

Entrepreneurial Success:
PowerQuest Corporation
Eric J. Ruff

Community Service:
The Ramsey Group
Rhoda Ramsey

Home-Based Business Success:
Fyve*Star, Inc.
Celeste Gleave


2001
Small Business of the Year:
Valentiner Crane Brunjes Onyon Architects 
Niels Valentiner

Entrepreneurial Success:
FrameRate Corp. 
James R. Harvey

Community Service:
Harris Financial 
R. Kelly Harris

Home-Based Business Success:
Johnson & Company, The Virtual Agency
Jennifer Johnson

Minority Small Business:
Rico Mexican Market 
Jorge Fierro


2002
Small Business of the Year:
Absolute! Restaurant & Brasserie 
Kimberley and Staffan Eklund

Entrepreneurial Success:
Have Party...Will Travel
Julie and Jeff Palmer

Community Service:
Cameron Construction Company 
John E. Cameron and Michael Cervino

Home-Based Business Success:
Cartwright Communications 
Jeri Cartwright

Minority Small Business:
Chung & Associates, Inc. 
Bo S. Chung, Jr.


2003
Small Business of the Year:
Love Communications 
Tom Love, Rich Love and Preston Wood

Entrepreneurial Success:
The Singing Cricket Café 
Lara Kierstead

Community Service:
Art House Graphic Studio 
Sam Guevara and Rebecca Guevara

Home-Based Business Success:
Bruno Group Turnkey Events, Inc. 
Paul Bruno, Michelle Bruno, and Karen Peña


2004
Small Business of the Year:
Cuisine Unlimited 
Maxine and Marvin Turner

Entrepreneurial Success:
Delta Stone Products
Robert Hicken and Paul Ballif

Community Service:
Colonial Flag
Paul Swensen, Owner 

Home-Based Business Success:
Turning Point, Inc.
Kathleen Gage


2005
Small Business of the Year 
Webb Audio Visual Communication
Steven M. Webb and Scott T. Webb

Entrepreneurial Success Award 
LoveSac Corporation
Shawn Nelson, Scott McDonough, Dan Lunt,
Tim Weiland, and Doyle Judd

Community Service Award 
Wasatch Baskets & Gifts
Jim Wilcox, Ethel Wilcox, Kurstin Lee and
Rosalie Doolittle

Minority Small Business Award 
Samba Grill Brazilian Skewerhouse
Ren Souza

President's Award for Excellence
United Way of Salt Lake
Deborah Bayle Nielsen, Rebecca J. Dutson, 
Kristine W. Pepin, and Kevin Grimmett


2006
Small Business of the Year:
Cooper Roberts Simonsen Associates
Wallace “Wally” Cooper, Allen Roberts, and Soren Simonsen

Entrepreneurial Success:
McKinnon-Mulherin, Inc.
Shauna Bona, Kathleen Reddy, and Regina Davis

Community Service:
Eye Care for Kids Foundation
Joseph G. Carbone

Minority Small Business:
Latitude Restaurant Group
Gene Kwon

2007
Small Business of the Year
The Storey Agency
Bryn Ramjoue' and Shelly Storey

Entrepreneurial Success Award
COLDSWEEP, Inc.
Randell and Tina Heath

Minority Small Business Award
U.S. Translation Company
David Utrilla

Community Service Award
My Princess Pearls
Wendy Bird

President's Award for Excellence
RICHTER7
Scott Rockwood, Dave Newbold, Peggy Lander and Tim Brown

2008
Small Business of the Year 
Broadcast International
Rod Tiede, Reed Benson, Rob Chipman, Bob Ingraham, and Burt Jepson

Entrepreneurial Success Award 
Vienna Bistro
Frody Volgger

Minority Small Business Award 
Hablemos Spanish Language Academy
Jaime Pena

Community Service Award 
Fourth Street Clinic
Allan Ainsworth

President’s Award for Excellence 
The Enterprise Newspaper Group
R. George Gregersen, Barbara Rattle

2009
Small Business of the Year 
Mandarin Restaurant
Gregory Skedros

Entrepreneurial Success Award 
Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore
Tony and Catherine Weller 

Community Service Award 
Junior Achievement of Utah, Inc.
Phil Cofield, President and CEO
Paul Van Slooten, JA Board Chair

Minority Small Business Award 
Manuel’s Fine Foods
Orlando Torres
Mike Torres
Paul Torres

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