The Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce held its Second Annual Business Excellence Awards Dinner this past Thursday, May 25, at the Wakulla County Senior Citizens Center.   Guests were entertained by Jerry Evans on piano as they enjoyed a delicious meal catered by Poseys Up the Creek Steam Room and Catering.  Walter C. Dodson, Jr., President/CEO of Wakulla Bank, spoke on the topic of "Survival", followed by the announcement of nominees and winners for each award category. 

According to Ann Henderson, Chair of the Business Excellence and Stewardship Award Committee,  the awards are held to recognize members of our business community.  "Businesses are nominated by Chamber members," said Henderson.  The nominees are then judged by a three-member panel composed of one individual who is not affiliated with the Chamber and two others; one a former business owner, the other a co-owner of a local business. The Environmental Stewardship Award judges also consist of a three-member panel composed of individuals familiar with environmental issues. 

Business Excellence Award nominees were judged in the following areas:
 
Human Resources - Establishment of positive employee morale, employee involvement in business operations/decision making and human resource development.

Community Involvement - Business' involvement in community projects through the use of personnel, employee time or other resources.

Innovation and Imagination - Excellence in product enhancements, service or service after the sale that make the business stand out in the marketplace.  

Growth, Stability & Staying Power - Requests nominee provide history of their business and provide examples of growth of clientele, sales and/or number of employees. 

The Future - Vision for the business in the next few years.  

Economic Development - Requests list of organizations that nominee's business has been involved in and how the nominee's involvement has contributed to the economic health of the community.  

The judges individually scored each nominee on a scale of 1 to 10 for each of the criteria.  The judges then met collectively and totaled the points for each nominee with the winner being the nominee having the highest total points overall.
  

2006 Business Excellence Awards Categories and Nominees 

Non-Profit:  Community Services Nominees		Non-Profit:  Human Services Nominees

Environmental Stewardship Nominees		Small Business Nominees

 

Start-Up Business Nominees		Medium Business Nominees

 

Large Business Nominees

 

2006 Business Excellence Awards Winners

 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD:

 

The Inn at Wildwood

 

The Environmental Stewardship Award is designed to recognize commercial or residential development that limits negative impact on the environment and helps to protect our natural resources. 

 

This award is given to the commercial or residential development that best meets the following criteria:  1) Use of Environmentally sensitive building materials and methods; 2) Groundwater protection efforts; 3) Limiting the use of chemicals and pesticides; 4) Use of alternative energy sources; 5) Educational component; and 6) Other environmental stewardship efforts.  

 

(Pictured above:  Sue Ann Smith, General Manager, The Inn at Wildwood, and Sheriff David Harvey, Co-Owner, The Inn at Wildwood)

 

 

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR (Human Services): 

 

Wakulla County Senior Citizens Council, Inc. 

 

The Wakulla County Senior Citizens Council, Inc. provides services for the seniors in Wakulla County and for the community as a whole. The Wakulla County Senior Citizens Council was established in 1972 and has been progressively providing valuable services to both senior citizens in the county and the community of Wakulla County.

 

Currently the Council is responsible for the Meals-On-Wheels program, housekeeping, personal care and respite within the homes of the county’s senior citizens and for meals, recreation, health and educational programs and public coordinated transportation at its Senior Citizen Center location.  All of these programs are increasingly important as number of senior citizens continues to climb within our county.

The Council also spearheads valuable activities that benefit the county as a whole while providing productive and gratifying services for our senior citizens.  The Center’s seniors work in the Before & After School Programs in the county’s elementary schools, prepare weekly supplies for use by the Florida Wild Mammals Association, and package dental supplies provided by the Wakulla County Health Department for use by elementary students – to name a few.

 

The visioning process of the Council resulted in the building of a new center in 2002 which has been responsible for the average daily participation tripling.  The new center also has provided a large facility for numerous organizations and associations to utilize for their meetings, meal functions and fundraising.  The visioning of the Council has continued with their new apartment complex, Wakulla Trace Apartments, providing 34 units which will afford seniors with daily activities and interaction with other seniors while contributing the economic development of our County through its construction costs and future rent subsidies.

Clearly, the Wakulla County Senior Citizens Council has impacted Wakulla County as a whole in a very positive and profitable way.

 

(Pictured above:  R. H. Carter, Director, Wakulla County Senior Citizens Council) 

 

 

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR (Community Services):

 

Florida Wild Mammal Association, Inc.

 

The Florida Wild Mammal Association, Inc. is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife with the goal of returning them to their natural habitat and educating the public on wildlife issues.  The FWMA is located on 6-plus rural acres and provides rescue services and educational programs to Wakulla County and six additional rural coastal counties from Perry to Panama City.  The facility consists of 28 outdoor enclosures, 2 ½ acres of deer pens, a small kitchen/animal care room and a medical room.

 

While this organization has been providing a valuable service to Wakulla County for more than 12-years, the Florida Wild Mammal Association went into overdrive the day after Hurricane Dennis struck.  In 2005, the FWMA provided care for 530 wild birds, 327 mammals, 49 reptiles, and 98 exotics and farm animals

 

Overall, 79% of the animals brought to the FWMA survived and of significant note, FWMA’s services were free to the public.

 

The FWMA has been creative in establishing partnerships with Wakulla students, citizens in volunteer capacities and local veterinarians to effectively provide the needed care for the county’s injured wildlife.  Their membership consists of 220 people and the dedication of more than 30 volunteers.  Additionally, the On the Job Training Program and the Student Work Program allowed them to employ six students throughout the year to assist with their ever evolving and growing needs.  The FWMA works closely with the Wakulla County Animal Control, Wakulla Sheriff’s Department, Wakulla County Health Department and area civic groups such as 4-H, Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Audubon Society.

FWMA offers the local community a wide variety of educational programs and has established excellent partnerships with Wakulla High School, local colleges, the juvenile justice program and other student-based organizations.  They have worked hand-in-hand with these organizations to offer students unique opportunities of working in a hands-on capacity with their wild neighbors.  Some of their wonderful programs are TOPP (Training Opportunity Placement Program, Project Learning Tree, Project Learn and Serve Grant Program, Environmental Science Classes and the Scholarship Program.  In addition, FWMA has broadened its Outreach Program for the enjoyment and education of the public.

 

In a time when Wakulla County is prospering and growing, FWMA helps preserve the beautiful, natural and peaceful environment that we all love about our county while teaching residents to peacefully co-exist with our wild friends.  The FWMA has been very creative on a shoe-string budget while providing a service for the community that benefits everyone. 

 

(Pictured above:  Judie Creese, Public Relations, FWMA) 

 

 

START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

 

Wakulla.com

 

Wakulla.com is an internet site providing news, information and resources for Wakulla County and the surrounding area.

 

Wakulla.com was officially launched in February 2005 and has experienced a phenomenal growth of 496 monthly visitors to 10,725 monthly visitors with the largest spike in visitors occurring in July due to the articles about Hurricane Dennis.  Wakulla.com is the only real-time, continuously updated online news service that is totally dedicated to Wakulla County.  Not only does Wakulla.com provide readers a chance to become interactive users of the site through their community forums, they also provide the ability to comment at the bottom of each article on the site.  It is Wakulla.com’s desire to be a “voice” for the county – where residents come when they want their opinions to be known on key issues affecting Wakulla County.

 

Wakulla.com offers its advertisers extra enhancements at no extra charge and goes the extra mile to give their customers a product they can be proud of displaying.  While they provide yearly advertising packages for local businesses, they do not charge a fee for non-profit groups who wish to publicize their events on the site.  To date, Wakulla.com has provided free advertising for more than 28 organizations and events.  By including events and functions online, they are helping to increase the number of attendees to these events, which directly impacts the economic development of Wakulla County.  They also provide a valuable community service through their “Wakulla Alerts” partnership with the Wakulla County Office of Emergency Management and their “Rec Park Alerts” partnership with the Wakulla County Department of Parks and Recreation.

Wakulla.com has made an innovative business mark in the County while providing a valuable service for its users that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

 

(Pictured above:  Jay and Mary Katherine Westmark, Owners, Wakulla.com) 

 

 

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

Purple Martin Nurseries, Inc.

 

Purple Martin Nurseries, Inc. is a garden center that sells flowering trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, birding supplies and gift items, and provides landscape design and installation services.

 

Purple Martin Nurseries, Inc. has been in business since November 2000 and has firmly planted itself in the community as a quality and customer-service oriented business that contributes to the beautification of the county.

 

Besides providing product directly to the consumer, Purple Martin Nurseries has contributed substantially to the bottom line of a growing number of local contract providers whom they do business with in the landscape design and installation portion of their business.

 

They have also been good stewards in Wakulla County by being key partners in many community landscaping projects which have included the Wakulla County Courthouse, Hudson Park and the Wakulla County Senior Citizens Center to name a few.  Additionally, they donate to various organizations through employee payroll deductions and they speak at various functions on a regular basis.

 

Purple Martin Nurseries has had a definite affect on the pristine beauty of our area through the growing awareness of the correlation between aesthetic beauty and economic development.

 

(Pictured above:  Glen Campbell, Owner, Purple Martin Nurseries, Inc.)

 

 

MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

 

Shields Marina, Incorporated

 

Shields Marina is a full-service marina providing both wet and dry facilities for boat storage.  The business also includes a retail store, service and parts department and the retail sales of boats and motors. 

Shields Marina has been in business since 1952 and has grown from a small “mom & pop” operation with four family members to seventeen full-time employees.  Besides increasing the number employees, Shields has gone from mooring thirty boats to more than 450 boats in a combination of wet slips, trailers and boats slips and dry storage slips served by forklifts.

 

Although they sustained considerable damage to their facilities and inventory as a result of Hurricane Dennis, Shields is in the process of constructing a new Ship’s Store that will triple their size, allowing them to expand their merchandise and include a gift shop, nautical clothing and shoes, offices and more.  Long range plans are to lease out space to a food vendor to provide breakfast and lunch service to customers and boaters.

The Shields have given back to the community by being active and participating in the community.  Their involvement has included serving on the boards of the City of St. Marks, Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce, and the St. Marks Yacht Club.  Additionally they have participated on committees for the Restoration of the Old Courthouse and the St. Teresa Episcopal Church and being an officer of the Wakulla Men’s Club.  Because of the Shields involvement and connections in Leon County, they have been able attract people to come to Wakulla County to spend their boating and recreational dollars rather than spend them in Tallahassee.

 

Clearly Shields Marina has truly anchored itself in Wakulla County with their commitment to economic development and community organizations.

 

(Pictured above:  Chuck and Pam Shields, Owners, Shields Marina, Inc.) 

 

 

LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

EMBARQ (formerly Sprint)

 

EMBARQ is a provider of wireless and wire line telecommunications services in the north central Florida areas.  EMBARQ and its predecessor companies have provided telecommunications service in North Central Florida since the late 1800s.

 

EMBARQ has been a strong and large patron of numerous community events through their active participation and monetary support.  EMBARQ has been the key supporter of the Wakulla County Senior Citizens Center, the Wakulla School’s Foundation, the Annual Small Business Appreciation Luncheon and the title sponsor of the Panacea Blue Crab Festival.  Additionally, EMBARQ is a major supporter of the Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce with it having the highest dues level and their monetary contribution to the Chamber’s Building Fund.  Additionally, EMBARQ’s contributions to the economic development of the county are represented in them being instrumental in the founding of the Wakulla Chamber’s Economic Development Council.

Recent times have shown where large entities have scaled back in their participation and contributions to the communities where they do business.  EMBARQ, however, has continued to connect with Wakulla County on numerous levels showing their level of commitment to the citizens and their programs. 

 

(Pictured above:  Len Taliaferro, Public Affairs Manager, EMBARQ) 

 

Thanks go out to Two Blondes for providing the spirits for the evening, and to the Entertainment Committee chaired by Pam Shields.  Thanks also to Martha Jean Woodward for providing the decorations, and to Shephard Accounting and Wakulla Bank for providing the video presentation, with photography for the presentation courtesy of Maggie Gaby and Niki Lawhon.  

 

Business Excellence and Stewardship Award Committee

A very special thanks to the Business Excellence and Stewardship Award Committee for putting the entire event together.  The members of the committee were Maryellen Davis, Ann Henderson, Chair, Lora Shepard, Sherrie-Posey Miller, Sherrie-Posey Miller, Delano Johnson, and Susan Turner.  The Committee would like to offer a special thank you to the judges for their time and contribution.

 

- Photos for this article courtesy of Toni Courtier

 

This article originally published on May 30, 2006.

 

Written by :

westmark