Ten Winners honored at Awards Ceremony

Lansdowne, VA, -- The premier small businesses in Loudoun County were honored last evening when the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce unveiled the winners in the 2009 Small Business Awards. To a packed room of more than 425 business and community leaders at Lansdowne Resort, ten companies were honored in front of their colleagues, families and peers as the top performing small businesses in Loudoun County. This year, the Chamber introduced the Non-Profit category in the Small Business Awards to recognize not only the vital role that Loudoun’s non-profits play in the economy of our community, but to honor the very real entrepreneurial talents of the professional staff and volunteer leadership that are driving these organizations.

The honorees were selected by blue ribbon panels of area business leaders in secret ballots that kept the winners’ names confidential until the announcement at last night’s dinner. “These businesses and the entrepreneurs that lead them represent the very best that Loudoun’s small business community has to offer. The passion, drive and courage these entrepreneurs exhibit in pursuit of their dreams and ideas are truly awe-inspiring and the Loudoun County Chamber is honored to be associated with them,” said Dave Trosko of Smith Barney Morgan Stanley and VP of Small Business.

Chamber President Tony Howard said that the competition for the Small Business Awards, now in its 15th year, is incredibly fierce. More than 239 businesses were nominated for these awards and just 38 finalists were by blue ribbon committees of business leaders and industry experts. This year, we debuted “The People’s Choice”, allowing the public to go online and vote just once for their favorite company in each category.

The winners are:
• Non Profit Organization – Loudoun Interfaith Relief
• Ag/Equine Business of the Year – The Restaurant at Patomack Farms
• Franchisee Business of the Year – KidzArt
• Home Based Business of the Year- Granite Connection
• Product of the Year – Modern Mom Media Corporation
• Retailer Business of the Year – Rangoli Indian Restaurant
• Service Business of the Year – R.A. Dobson, Inc.
• Technology Business of the Year- Omnilert
• Entrepreneur of the Year – Sharon Brandt of Granite Connection
• Small Business of the Year - Endless Summer Harvest .

“Chosen by their peers and other business leaders for this honor, the winners of the 2009 Small Business Awards are clearly among the most dynamic, innovative and successful companies in the region. The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce is proud to award them the most prestigious recognition for business excellence in Loudoun County,” Howard said.



The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce represents nearly 1,300 businesses in Loudoun County and Northern Virginia. As Loudoun County's largest broad-based business organization, the Chamber serves to make the connection in the community. It is committed to ensuring the growth and development of new and existing businesses within the county. For more information about the Chamber, visit www.loudounchamber.org or call (703) 777-2176.