Chamber to award top businessesThe Austin Area Chamber of Com-

merce’s annual Winter Banquetand Awards Program will be held

Feb. 28 at the Holiday Inn and AustinConference Center.

The event focuses on memberrecognition, and includes presenta-tion of three major business awards:Business of the Year, New Businessof the Year, and Project of the Year.Other awards recognize outstanding

chamber ambassadors, the cham-ber’s Volunteer of the Year, and,new this year, recognition of onemember for an outstanding work-force wellness initiative.

The 15 nominees this year, whohave been submitted by customers,employees, themselves or others,are reviewed to decide which oneswill win.

“They fill out an application form

and they describe their business insome detail,” said Sandy Forstner,executive director of the chamber.From there, ambassadors visit thebusinesses, and also accept lettersfrom customers or others who canattest to the its quality.

Forstner said a number of cate-gories decide who will win eachaward, including the level of cus-tomer service, growth and commit-

ment to employees.The day of the banquet, Chamber

ambassadors host the evening’s en-tertainment under the theme “Soldon Austin.” About 300 people areexpected to attend. To register orfor more information, contact thechamber at 507-437-4561.

—Austin Daily Herald

2000 Double K Speciality2001 MJ OʼConnor, Inc.2002 Bissen TV & Appliance2003 Hy-Vee Food Store2004 Golden Tress2005 Perkins2006 Austin Medical System

(Now Mayo Clinic Health

System - Albert Lea and Austin)2007 Anderson Memorials2008 Davis, Thoen, Kramer &

Associates2009 Apollo Liquor & Superette2010 Hoversten, Johnson,Beckmann & Hovey, LLP2011 Quiznos

Norm and Mar-lene Blaser ac-cepted theBusiness of Yearaward during theannual AustinArea Chamber ofCommerce ban-quet last year atthe Holiday Inn.Herald filed photo

PAST WINNERS: BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

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2 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

WE’RE YOUR BIGGEST FANSANSBIGGEST FWE’RE YOUR

Established: Five years agoAddress: 1906 Eighth St. NW, Suite GOwner/manager: Dan LuiMain business type: Food serviceProducts/services: Chinese Buffet

China Star

Established: 1919Address: 1202 28th St. NEOwner/manager: Owned by members, General Man-ager William BudionMain business type: Private country clubProducts/services: Golf, pool, tennis, dining, socialevents and banquet facilities

Austin Country Club

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013 3

Established: 1958Address: 1419 First St.SWOwner/manager: --Main business type:BankProducts/services:Banking, checking, sav-ings, CDs, IRAs, personal,business, mortgage andfarm loans, payroll serv-ices, investment, personaland business insurance

Sterling State Bank

Established: 2006Address: 107 W. OaklandAve.Owner/manager: Kim-berly and Brian AlwinMain business type:Moving ServicesProducts/services:Working with older adults,downsizing, packing,transport and unpacking

A Smooth Move

4 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Established: 1887Address: 300 First St. NWOwner/manager: Paul Sween, Steven Rizzi and DeanAdamsMain business type: Law officeProducts/services: Legal services

Adams, Rizzi & Sween, P.A.

Established: 2012Address: 401 N Main St., Suite 202Owner/manager: Lindsey KepperMain business type: Yoga studio, sports, recreation

Yoga Studio of Austin

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013 5

Established: 2003Address: 417 N Main St.Owner/manager: Sandra BellMain business type: Clothing consignment and homedecorProducts/services: Gifts and antiques

Twice Is Nice

Established: 2008Address: 303 Fifth Place NWOwner/manager: Jeff SellersMain business type: Locksmith/safe technicianServices: Locks, keys, commercial, residential, automo-tive, electronic access, safes sold, serviced and installed

Sellerʼs Lock & Key Inc.

Established: 2011Address: 1701 17th St. NWOwner/manager: Dr. James and Debra ShafferMain business type: HealthProducts/services: Walk in medical care

Quick Care

Established: 20 years agoAddress: 329 N Main St., Suite 201Owners: Randall Kramer, Greg Thoen, Webb DavisMain business type: Financial advisory firmServices: Financial, investment, retirement guidance

Davis, Thoen, Kramer & Associates

6 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Established: 1891Address: 1 HormelPlaceOwner/manager:CEO and PresidentJeff Ettinger, PlantManager Tim FritzBusiness type:Manufacturer andmarketer of con-sumer-branded foodand meat productsProducts: Meat andgrocery products

Hormel Foods Corp.

Established: 1988Address: 1509 10thPlace NEOwner/manager:Kermit WattsMain businesstype: Truckstop/restaurant andbarProducts/services:Gas, diesel, conven-ience store items, giftarea, restaurant foodand bar

Austin Auto Truck Plaza/Watts Cookinʼ

PROJECT OF THE YEAR2000: Main Street-SterlingDrug2001: Hormel Foods - SpamMuseum2002: Cooperative ResponseCenter2003: Collision Specialists,Inc.2004: USEM, Inc.2005: Our House2006: Jimʼs Supervalu2007: B&J Bar2008: The Hormel Institute2009: Hormel Historic Home2010: McDonaldʼs2011: Clasen-Jordan Mortuary

NEW BUSINESSOF THE YEAR2000: Emotions Floral & Gifts2001: Austin Mortgage Co.2002: Triple J Disposal2003: Minn-State MortgageCorp.2004: Blecker Realty2005: Carlson Home2006: Savory Skillet2007: Restaurant Warehouse2008: Walmart2009: Beaver Trails-JellystonePark2010: Austin Bruins2011: Ooh La La! Handbags& Accessories

PAST WINNERS:

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - BUSINESS OF THE YEAR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013 7

Address: 1000 First Drive NWOwner/manager: CEO Dr. Mark Ciota, Former CAOAdam Rees, CAO Steve WaldhoffMain business type: Health careProducts/services: Clinic and hospital

Mayo Clinic Health System

Established: 2007Address: 1207 First Ave. SWOwner/manager: Carol TracyMain business type: Hair salon

Sterling Beauty Salon

8 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Established: 1960Address: 2111 Fourth St. NWOwner/manager: James MuellerMain business type: Non-profitProducts/services: Day training,extended employment, trans-portation programs, job place-ment, janitorial, wood products,paper shedding, sub-contractpackaging, recycling, commerciallaundry services and food serviceand catering

Cedar Valley Services