Manatee Chamber Announces Winners for 44th Annual Small Business of the Year Awards
BRADENTON, FL – The 2024 Manatee Chamber Small Business of the Year Awards was held on Thursday, November 14th at the Bradenton Area Convention Center. This program recognizes small businesses and non-profit organizations for "quality and excellence" as exemplified by growth, productivity, customer service, job creation, and overall contribution to the community. The Manatee community is supported by stellar businesses and non-profit organizations that help strengthen our business environment and improve our quality of life.
The Manatee Chamber of Commerce hosted the Awards in partnership with Presenting Sponsor, Credit Union 1. This year there were more than 200 nominations from the community with ninety-four companies and organizations electing to take the important and rigorous steps to become applicants. The seven winners were chosen from among the thirty-seven finalists.
Since the inception of this event, the Manatee Chamber has honored more than 150 local small businesses. In 2016 the awards program was expanded to include local non-profit organizations to recognize their operations and contributions to our community, workforce, and economy.
The Manatee Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the winners for 2024:
Small Business – Category I
AMI Beach Weddings
Karen Riley-Love, Owner
PO Box 546, Cortez 34215
(941) 527-6000
https://www.amibeachweddings.com/
Small Business - Category II
Weber Scenic Productions
Jeffery & Christy Weber, Owners
(941) 251-9444
https://www.weberscenicproductions.com/
Small Business - Category III
Shore Thing Tiki Cruises
Rick Cardinale & Frank Galati, Co-Owners
119 Bridge Street, Suite 140, Bradenton Beach, 34217
(941) 347-0773
https://shorethingtikicruises.com/
Small Business - Category IV
Harbor Chiropractic
Heather Crawford, Owner/Doctor
6220 Manatee Avenue West, Suite 204, Bradenton, 34209
(941) 761-1100
https://harborchiropracticcenter.com/
Small Business – Category V
Manatee Apparel
Dennis Frey & Michael Griffith, Co-Owners
1130 9th Street West, Bradenton, 34205
(941) 746-6353
Non-Profit – Category I
Avenue941
Brenda Critchfield, Founder & Executive Director
1616 59th Street West, Bradenton, 34209
(980) 333-7401
Non-Profit – Category II
Early Learning Coalition
Darrell King, Chief Executive Officer
600 8th Ave. W., Ste. 100, Palmetto, 34221
(941) 757-2900
The 2024 Small Business of the Year Awards Judges:
Jim Albertson, Green & Co. Business Brokers
Mike Baker, RE/MAX Alliance Group
Jeff Benninghoff, ABC 7
Dennise Berger, Regions Bank
Nate Carr, Willis Smith Construction, 2010 Award Winner
Nick Choat, Sport Clips Haircuts of Bradenton, 2018 Award Winner
Dennis Cooley, Bridgely Key Options, LLC
Tami Goudy, Veritas! Pest Management, 2019 Award Winner
Fern Grace, Abacus Web Services
Wade Hamilton, Connect Central
George Nicolopoulos, Servis First Bank
Jason Osborne, Bank OZKStefanie Overturf, Phenomenal Business Coaching, 2015 Award Winner Overturf’s Floor & Fabric Care
Jon Stuart, SCORE Manasota Chapter 116
Terri West, West Coast Business Solutions
Michael Willats, Esq., Shankman Leone, P.A.
Rick Yocum, Humane Society of Manatee County, 2018 Award Winner
The Manatee Chamber of Commerce, a 5-Star Accredited Chamber of Commerce with more than 2,000 member businesses and organizations representing 76,000 employees, has offices in Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch to serve the greater Manatee County region. Its mission is to build a positive business environment while enhancing the community’s quality of life.