Bellevue Chamber Honors Eastside Entrepreneurs

The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce honored local businesses, large and small at its annual Eastside Business Awards Luncheon on Monday.

The Chamber offered the following information about the award winners:

Outstanding businesses on the Eastside that uphold a strong commitment to quality, community and innovation were recognized at the 24th Annual Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Eastside Business Awards luncheon on May 6 at The Westin Bellevue.

“Over the years, the Eastside Business Awards program has celebrated entrepreneurialism at both large and small companies. You really see the interconnectivity within the business community, when the synergy within a large company leads to innovation, new ideas, and ultimately a new company is formed,” said Betty Nokes, President and CEO, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. “This interconnectivity ultimately creates new jobs and economic vitality.” 

Sixteen finalists were recognized and four winners were honored with awards as follows:

Eastside Business of the Year – MulvannyG2 Architecture (Bellevue, WA)

Finalists: Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc. and TalkingRain Beverage Company

Recognized for their sustained superior performance as an established Eastside business, encompassing the organization’s business leadership in its industry, its history of recognizing and seizing market opportunities, the strength of the candidate’s leadership team and workforce, and the company’s financial stability 

Eastside Small Business of the Year – Mr. Pressure Wash (Bellevue, WA)

Finalists: Caiman Consulting and Cardinal Heating & A/C, Inc.

Recognized for their superior performance as an Eastside small business of 100 employees or fewer with an established presence in the community, a commitment to workforce excellence, and a demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit.

Eastside Startup Business of the Year – PetHub, Inc. (Issaquah, WA)

Finalists: 9Slides and Ryan James Gallery

Recognized as a startup business that is poised to achieve consistent and significant growth with an entrepreneurial leadership team meeting the challenges of a growing business. 

Eastside Innovative Product of the Year – People’s Choice Award* - PetHub Inc. (Issaquah, WA)

Finalists: 9Slides, Apple-A-Day, Oil & Vinegar, Point Inside, Poodle LLC –schooldistrictfinder.com, University of Phoenix – Innovator’s Accelerator

*Attendees voted in real time and chose the winner in this category!

Recognized for launching a new cutting edge product, software, or application in the greater Puget Sound Region.

Download the online 2013 Eastside Business Awards Entrepreneur Magazine at www.bellevuechamber.org/eastside_business_awards.html and get access to the Award winner and finalist profiles and videos.

The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce is pleased to have CliftonLarsonAllen, KeyBank and Perkins Coie as corporate sponsors, FiberCloud as an associate sponsor, and Bellevue Embroidery as an in-kind sponsor.

The Bellevue Chamber also highlighted seven Top Corporate Citizens and their top executives including Air Van Moving - Steve Galvagno, President & CEO, Axelerate - Nancy Heen, Founder & CEO; Bank & Office Interiors/Barclay Dean - Scott Harrison, CEO; Fortin Group - Brittany Barker, Corporate Secretary; Puget Sound Bank - Jim Mitchell, President & CEO; Synergy Construction, Inc. - Justin Stewart, Executive Vice President; and The Bellevue Collection - Kemper Freeman, Jr., CEO.

These companies represent an example of why the Eastside is one of the best places to live, work and launch a business. Nokes remarked, “We recognized many outstanding companies today, and celebrated success in a dynamic marketplace.  We are very fortunate to have these corporate citizens in our midst who demonstrate business savvy and innovation that make our community vibrant.” 

The Bellevue Chamber serves as the voice of business on the Eastside, representing thousands of jobs in our community. Businesses range in size from sole proprietors to large corporations. The Chamber's mission is to foster a healthy business environment by providing strategic leadership, advocacy, tools, and resources for business success.