Tempe Chamber of Commerce Spotlights Business Excellence Award Finalists

The Tempe Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2015 Business Excellence Awards. These awards promote the advancement of responsible business leadership in the community and publicly recognize local businesses demonstrating a passion for excellence. Members of the community are invited to meet leaders from these organizations at Business Before Hours on Feb. 17 at Yvonne’s Café, 1725 W. University at 7:30 a.m.

For the first time ever, the awards will be presented in two categories, honoring both Small and Large Business of the Year.

The awards honor companies for success in business growth, employee development, community involvement and customer service. The six finalists admirably embody those characteristics and are being recognized for that distinction.

The finalists for the Business Excellence Award in the Small Business of the Year category are:

Good Works Auto Repair

Good Works Auto Repair is a full service, owner-operated automotive repair and maintenance shop. It was opened in 2004 by husband and wife team Glen and RaeAnn Hayward and co-owner Nathan Merrill. It recently expanded by adding an additional 4,000 square feet and four more vehicle lifts. Good Works recently secured new equipment and training to work on hybrid vehicles, becoming only one of two non-dealer locations in the state that is able to do so. The shop has also implemented a new tablet-based vehicle inspection and tech program that sends photos directly to customers to show repair conditions and progress.

here on the corner

here on the corner is a locally owned and operated retail boutique in the heart of Arizona State University. Under the ownership of Tempe resident Julie Kent since 2011, the shop carries clothing and accessories made in Arizona, as well as products that are socially and environmentally responsible. Many local designers have successfully launched their lines in the shop, which continues to feature the works of established and emerging artists. The shop features the Resolana Project mural on the side of the building, which displays a mural of bicycle frames created by local non-profits.

University Animal Hospital

University Animal Hospital was established in 1962 and is the second oldest veterinary practice in the east valley. It employs 11 veterinarians and a staff of 55 under the leadership of owner Tom Gus. Its current building was built in 1996 which increased its size to 13,000 square feet. It is a complete small animal facility which also offers full-service boarding and grooming. Along with all routine care, the hospital provides critical specialty services such as laser surgery, stem cell therapy, endoscopy, digital x-rays, ultrasound, and EKGs. Its staff also teaches community classes such as Pet CPR and Pet First Aid.

The finalists for the Business Excellence Award in the Large Business of the Year category are:

Arizona Public Service

APS is Arizona’s largest and longest-serving electric company, delivering power to 1.2 million customers in 11 of Arizona’s 15 counties and employing more than 6,400 people. As an investor-owned utility, its mission is to deliver safe, reliable and affordable power and to create a sustainable energy future for Arizona. It has been a leader in the development of solar generation for more than 50 years, building large-scale facilities and enabling customers to install solar panels while investing in smart-grid technologies. Its performance over the last five years continues to outpace the industry and it has increased total shareholder value by $3.7 billion during that time.

JE Dunn Construction

JE Dunn Construction began in Kansas City, Missouri in 1924. By 2012, it was ranked the 12th largest general building company in the United States with annual revenues of $2.5 billion and 20 office locations coast-to-coast. Its presence in Arizona took hold in 2005 when it opened its Southwest office in Phoenix after nearly a decade of construction in the Valley. Most recently in 2013, JE Dunn Southwest made its permanent home in Tempe in a newly renovated office building. Local projects include medical centers and hospitals, a correctional facility, data centers, a solar plant, border station, banking facilities and more.

TruWest Credit Union

TruWest Credit Union was founded in 1952 to serve just seven Motorola employees. In 1983, it opened its very first community branch in Arizona, and has since grown to more than 220 employees, 67,000 members and 13 branches in Arizona and Texas. It is a member-owned cooperative, providing financial solutions so that its members can achieve their goals. It has evolved to offer innovative, non-traditional methods of banking including mobile banking, remotely signed loan documents and new electronic delivery channels to serve members in a manner which is most convenient for them.

Last year’s recipients of the award were Landings Credit Union and the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine.

The recipients of the 2015 Business Excellence Awards will be announced and honored at the inaugural Beacon Awards on Feb. 26 at the Embassy Suites Tempe, 4400 S. Rural Road.

Additional awards to be presented at the event are the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year the Spirit of Tempe, and Tempe Leadership’s Outstanding Community Leader.

For more than a century, the Tempe Chamber of Commerce has built an environment that enhances the economic vitality of its membership and the business community as a whole. Through its commitment to and involvement with the community, it provide its members with the tools and means needed to achieve success at every level of their enterprises.