Top Entrepreneurs Take Honors
Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce 2008 Small Business
of the Year Awards Recapped

The Wyndham Lisle was buzzing Friday night with the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce 2008 Small Business of the Year.

"This is the academy awards of our business community," said Richard Greene, president and CEO of the chamber. "There are a record number of nominees this year."

Ray Kinney of Minuteman Press lead over the awards as Master of ceremonies.

Newman Architecture took first place in the 11th year of the chamber's awards for outstanding small businesses in the Naperville area. But Chuck Newman wasn't at the ceremony to receive the award due to traveling for his charitable efforts in Nigeria.

In addition to the overall winner, the chamber recognized several other firms and one individual.

Frank Slocumb of Harris Bank was honored with the chamber's Lifetime Achievement Award.

"I want to rename it to the 'first half of my life achievement award,'" Slocumb said.

Naperville Community Television took first place for not-for-profit organization.

"We're all doing great work in the community," said NCTV's Elizabeth Braham Spencer, honoring the other nominees.

The other enterprises saw different categories than in the past. Previously, categories were based on types of businesses. The 2008 awards went to firms according to number of employees.

Also new to this year was the Five-Under-Five category, which went to five outstanding businesses begun within the last five years.

Award Winners

The winners of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards for 2008 were:

* Frank Slocumb, Harris Bank - Lifetime Achievement

* Buddingh & Associates - 1 to 5 Employees

* Newman Architecture - 6 to 30 Employees

* Packer Group - 31 Plus Employees

* Naperville Community Television - Not-for-Profit

* Newman Architecture - Overall Small Business of the Year

* Five-Under Five - Jalapeno Paint Werx, Great Scapes Inc., Bob Jung
Painting, Naperville Magazine and Romano Associates.

The companies were nominated by other businesses. After a company was nominated, it underwent a three-month evaluation process, where chamber committees and former award winners looked at their work.

Lindsey Theis Reports.