News

SOUTHERN PINES, NC – The Moore County Chamber of Commerce announced today the five finalists for the Chamber’s Small Business and Entrepreneur Business of the Year Awards.  The winner of each of these awards will be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet on February 2, 2012 and is made possible in partnership with Muirfield Broadcasting.  

“The Chamber is proud to showcase the five finalists and their contributions to the enrichment of Moore County’s business Community,” stated Dick Higginbotham, 2012 Chairman of the Board.  According to Dick, “The Chamber was looking for a business that despite facing tremendous adversity would do it all over again, and whose fervor for running a business is rivaled only by their willingness to serve the community.”  
 
The criteria for both awards included innovation, response to adversity and community involvement.  For innovation the businesses needed to cite examples as to marketing ideas, overcoming significant challenges, employee relations, customer development, technology, distribution and competitive advantages.  The category of adversity, the business needed to show how they addressed significant challenges, overcoming one or more of the following: Employee relations, growth, training, retention, management and technology.  In the last category the business needed to indicate their involvement in the community, not including industry related organizations or affiliations.  The steering committee that reviewed the applications received were Chamber executives from outside of Moore County. 
 
The two finalists for the Entrepreneur Business of the Year Award have been in business less than five years and with less than 50 full time employees.  These finalists include Railhouse Brewery and Tangram Media.   The finalists for the Small Business of the Year Award have been in business more than five years and also have less than 50 full time employees.  These finalists include Biz Tools One Website Design, Morgan Miller and Town Center Pharmacy.  The final award winner of each category will be presented at the Annual Banquet on February 2, 2012 at the Carolina Hotel. 
 
For more information or to purchase tickets to the Moore county Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet visit www.moorecountychamber.comor call (910) 692-3926.
 
The mission of the Moore County Chamber of Commerce is to provide quality, value-added services and programs to members to unite Moore County area businesses in a committed effort to strengthen the economic environment and thus, improve the quality of life for all of Moore County.  With over 650 members the Chamber is instrumental in Advancing Commerce and Community and exists to help strengthen the local economy and promote comprehensive community development.