‘Role models’ for KC: Chamber reveals 10 finalists for Small Business of the Year award
September 4, 2020 | Startland News Staff
Ten Kansas City companies — including a handful of up-and-coming startups and popular food and beverage hotspots — are vying for the Chamber’s top honor: the coveted Mr. K award.
Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce; 2019 Chamber Small Business Awards
“Today’s the day!” said Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, announcing the top 10 small business of the year finalists Friday morning across social media.
Finalists notably run the gamut from COVID-era success stories to decades-old small businesses, marketing and media companies to bakeries and a minority-owned, female-led apparel brand.
“One of our favorite things to do at the KC Chamber is give regional businesses the public kudos, recognition and encouragement that they deserve,” the Chamber said on its website. “We do this every year for amazing small businesses, companies that serve as role models in diversity and inclusion, and businesses that are going the extra mile to create a healthy workplace.”
Thalia Cherry, Cherry
Ryan Maybee, Nathan Perry, and Andy Rieger, J. Rieger & Co.
The full list of small business finalists — pared down from 36 selected candidates and in order of their announcement — includes:
- J. Rieger & Co.
- Chicken N Pickle
- Amply Media
- McLain’s Markets
- Traders Insurance Company
- Prairie Elder Care
- Cherry
- Pro Athlete, Inc
- Messenger Coffee / Ibis Bakery
- Signal Theory
Up next: an Oct. 1 virtual small business celebration featuring a panel of the top 10 companies’ CEOs. Click here to register.
Wendy Guillies, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; 2019 Chamber Small Business Awards
The finalist showdown culminates Oct. 15 with the virtual Small Business Celebration Awards Luncheon where the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is set to announce the Small Business of the Year “Mr. K Award” — named for Ewing Marion Kauffman, known widely as “Mr. K.”
Winners of the 2020 Diverse Small Business Award, the Legacy of Kansas City Award, the Emerging Business Award, and the Weida Award for International Business recipients also are expected to be revealed at the virtual event.
Click here to learn more about the Oct. 15 Small Business Celebration Awards Luncheon.
The luncheon and award season typically are organized in the spring, but were delayed amid COVID-19 precautions and restrictions. The previous celebration was hosted in May 2019 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown Muehlebach Tower Imperial Ballroom.
Click here to read about the 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner, Rhonda Dolan, founder of Udo.
Featured Business
2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Just funded: KCMO unveils $200K in grants for nearly two dozen restaurants, bars, coffee shops
Kansas City has an “enormous appetite” for outdoor dining, said Wes Rogers, highlighting the growing need for city leaders to be responsive to evolving industry and small business trends — and championing KCMO’s new outdoor dining grants program. Officials on Tuesday announced 20 inaugural recipients of the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Grant. It’s an initiative —…
How one hard-wearing menswear brand designed a new KC denim story fit for global appeal
Stepping into Guevel is a little like peeking behind the scenes into Cameron Niederhauser’s own wardrobe, the designer said — at least when it comes to the menswear store’s in-house line. “We make a couple of shirts that are inspired by old, vintage pieces in my own closet,” the Guevel owner explained. “Our denim is…
Startup: Holiday season gift card boom needn’t skip small biz; this discrete digital wallet-ready option keeps giving local
Gift cards are convenient — and the No. 1 most-requested present — Nicole Glass said, but there’s frequently just something impersonal and disconnected about them that makes many people feel bad about slipping one into a card or gift box. “It’s like, ‘I didn’t really know what you wanted. Here’s Starbucks,’” said Glass, president of…
Beadwork maker thankful for Native heritage, crafting pieces that honor her lineage (not just what will sell)
Komina Guevara’s hands are rarely still. Through intricate beadwork and crafting leather, her art tells a story deeply rooted in cultural heritage, family traditions, and personal evolution. As the creative force behind KomGue, Guevara is gaining recognition as a standout Kansas City maker — her work showcased at pop-ups and earning her the $1,500 second-place…