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December 10, 2024
St. Joseph, MI – As 2024 draws to a close, the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber is looking for outstanding individuals and businesses who have made an impact in and around our community over the last year for their 2025 Business Recognition Awards. Nominations will be accepted through Tuesday, January 7th. Winners will be selected during live voting by their peers at the 2025 Business Recognition Event on February 21st.
Categories for the 2025 Chamber Awards are:
Business Focused:
- Economic Impact Award: A local enterprise that has made significant contributions to the economic vitality of the region through business growth, job creation, investment in infrastructure, and participation in other endeavors that benefit that community and its residents. The company must also exemplify excellent corporate citizenship by giving back to the community in which it operates and possess a corporate culture that enhances the lives of its employees.
- Small Business of the Year Award: A local small business that stands out for developing an outstanding, growing business; offering innovative product(s) and/or services, increasing jobs, increasing sales, overcoming adversity, and for making significant community contributions. The applicant for this award should be the highest-ranking person in the company.
- Non-Profit Excellence Award: A 501(c)3 organization that demonstrates excellence in providing a service to our community and/or in advocating, enabling, and empowering an underserved, underrepresented or disadvantaged population in our area.
- Best New Business: A new stand-out business in Southwest Michigan that is between 6 months and 2 years old, has demonstrated levels of excellence in their product category and in providing service to the community.
- Community Placemaking Award - New for 2025: This award honors and recognizes a community in Berrien, Cass, or Van Buren Counties that has undergone efforts to improve and transform their community through innovative and impactful placemaking projects. Projects can be a mix of: spaces that bring people together, new downtown developments, neighborhood enhancements, streetscapes and beautification projects but all must enhance the lives of residents. Nominations must be for communities not organizations.
Individual Focused:
- Rising Star Award: An award that recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of a highly motivated, emerging leader in the community. Nominees should demonstrate excellence, creativity, and show initiative/leadership in their industry, company, or profession.
- The Pat Moody Award: An award that recognizes an individual who has made their mark in the community. Nominees should be an established presence with over 10 years in Southwest Michigan, and exemplify customer and community service.
The eighth and final award the Chamber will be presenting is the Ambassador of the Year Award, which goes to a Chamber Ambassador who has gone above and beyond in 2024. By doing so, this Ambassador has helped not only the Chamber thrive, but their members as well.
Full criteria for each award and the nomination submission form can be found online at: bit.ly/BRBAwards2025
Each award has proven to be meaningful and relevant to the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber’s respective community and business members. Nominations can be submitted by anyone; however, nominees must be members in good standing with the Chamber in order to be eligible for recognition.
Full details regarding the 2025 Business Recognition Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony, including the keynote speaker and ticket sales will be announced at a later date.
Thank you to event sponsors:
Title: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Presenting: Horizon Bank, Comcast Business, Sturgis Bank & Trust
Supporting: Combined Insurance Agencies/Nulty Insurance, Kruggel Lawton CPA
Contributing: United Federal Credit Union
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