- April 18, 2024
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Small Business Person of the Year (10 or less employees) third place winner Dennis Hassel, first place winner Shane Catts and second place winner John Smyth
Good as Green Business of the Year second place winner Tomas Jusak of Junk King, first place winners Jacci Shovlin and Mike Solmonson of G. Fried Flooring and third place winners Angel Cruz and Ruben Rodriguez of OrgreenX
Rookie Small Business of the Year second place winners Willie Gillis and Nadia Zivkovic of Optimus Car Wash, first place winner Julie Kirkwood of Book a Little Sunshine and third place winner Kristin Fourie of Core Marking Solutions
Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce President Gail Loefgren with Small Business Person of the Year (11 or more employees) first place winner John Horne, third place winner Taylor Coan and first place winner Lynn Horne
Small Business Council Chairman Michael Vejins and Chamber Chairman Mark Meador
Robi Leach, Debbie Shaffer and Penelope Mabry
Amy Doran and Peg Pluto
Dan Woodley, Danielle Pollak and John Smyth
Sharon and Glenn Wise and Mike Solmonson
Frani Pisano and Rochelle Gallant
Willie Gillis, Nadia Zivkovic and Walter Loos
Greg LaPensee, Dan Alderson and Karen LaPensee
Mike Doll and Ron Fuller
Maribeth Phillips and Al Benincasa
Freddie Cinquina and Debbie Shaffer
Mark Meador shakes Julie Kirkwood’s hand after she is announced as the Rookie Small Business Person of the Year first place winner.
Michael Vejins shakes Dennis Hassell’s hand after he is announced as the third place winner in the Small Business Person of the Year (10 or less employees) category.
Mark Meador shakes Shane Catts’ hand as he is announced the first place winner in the Small Business Person of the Year (10 or less employees) category.
Michael Vejins congratulates John and Lynn Horne as they are announced the first place winners of the Small Business Person of the Year (11 or more employees) category.
John Horne takes a selfie with the crowd as he accepts first place of the Small Business Person of the Year (11 or more employees) category.
Shane Catts could only say thank you.
He was so overwhelmed that Happy Paddler Kayak Tours & Ecoventures, the business he runs with his wife, Holly Rolls, was named Small Business of the Year with 10 or less employees that he was left almost speechless.
Catts was not only one of 110 attendees at this year’s Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Week awards luncheon at Zota Beach Resort, but he was also the owner of one of 12 businesses recognized for their work.
Awards were given to three businesses in each of the four categories: Rookie Small Businessperson of the Year; Small Businessperson of the Year (10 or fewer employees); Small Businessperson of the Year (11 or more employees); and Good as Green Business of the Year.
There were more than 50 nominations throughout the four categories, but only three businesses in each were award plaques and certificates. As the first, second and third place winners accepted their awards, they shared some thoughts with the crowd, and before each category was awarded, last year’s winners shared some words.
Susan Robinson, who won in the rookie category last year alongside her husband, Ferruh Muktar for their business, Key Culinary Tours, offered her advice and help to any rookie businesspersons in the room.
Later, Michael Vejins, the Small Business Council chairman, said that that offer of help is what small businesses, and the chamber, are all about.
As Vejins announced the winners, he said that what he’s found in businesses is that it’s all about how people look at things.
“I’m sure failure is not in your vocabulary,” he said to the crowd.
His words echoed what Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce President Gail Loefgren had told the crowd earlier. She said small businesspersons take risks, enjoy the highs and suffer the lows, but they can all make a difference.
“Entrepreneurs can change the world,” she said.
