Judging Underway; Winners to Be Recognized December 10th at BANQ in Downtown Kingsport

Kingsport, TN (November 19, 2009) — The Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE) today announced 23 contenders in the 15th Annual KOSBE Awards, competing for one of the five awards:  one award for Young Entrepreneur (under age 40), one for New Business (in operation for at least 12 months but not more than 36 months), and two awards for Business Excellence (employing Under 10 Employees and employing 10 Employees and Up in 2009).  Selections will be made based on reported past financial performance, growth in number of employees, business staying power and history, story of success overcoming adversity, community involvement, marketing creativity, and presented strategies for growth.  

• A Super Party (Ashley Cooper)
• A Team Real Estate Professionals (Pam Addington)
• Clean + Safe Janitorial Services (John Humphries)
• Cruise Planners (Kathy Kennedy)
• Edo Sushi Bar & Grill (May Ling Hu-Lai & Benson Lai)
• Energy Savers LLC (Jeremiah Hein)
• Maxwell Coach Company, Inc. (Charles W. Maxwell)
• Phil's Dream Pit LLC (Phil & Dianna Pipkin)
• Pinnacle Ranch LLC (Holly Hopson & Ellen Stroud)
• River Mtn. Antiques & Primitives (Debbie Dykes)
• SONALI Medi Spa & Salon (Shari Rajoo)
• StudioTan (Reid & Kristin Burton)
• TalkBack Inc (Ashley C. Morris)
• The Nutty Java (Mark McCrary)

The recipient of the Impact Award for an outstanding individual and small business advocate must be nominated by a business who has entered the contest in one of the preceding categories.

• Casia Lai, Edo Sushi Bar & Grill (nominated by Edo Sushi Bar & Grill)
• Pam Addington, A Team Real Estate  (nominated by A Team Real Estate Professionals)
• Andy Bonner, Dent K. Burk (nominated by A Super Party)
• Suzi Gibson, Bristol-Kingsport KOA (nominated by Cruise Planners)
• Keith Timbes, Institution Food House (nominated by Phil’s Dream Pit)
• Todd Miller, Holston Medical Group (nominated by Clean + Safe Janitorial Services)
• Kevin Harmon, Kingsport Town Center (Nominated by The Nutty Java)
• Joyce Grills, The Haggle Shop (nominated by River Mtn. Antiques & Primitives)
• Anthony Daniels, former pastor of Central Baptist Church (nominated by Maxwell Coach Company)

The winners will be revealed in December, at a special recognition event, and awarded a KOSBE helm award on stage, recognition during Kingsport Chamber and KOSBE events, digital award emblem to display on their company literature and web site, spotlight on Kingsport Chamber and KOSBE web sites, recognition in Times-News, and one free class enrollment (valued at $800) in the two-day class entitled “Achieving World-Class Results� offered by nationally-renowned Pal’s Business Excellence Institute.  

The 2009 Annual KOSBE Awards will be presented on Thursday, December 10, 2009, 5:30 PM –7:00 PM, at BANQ which is located in the heart of Downtown Kingsport in the historic First National Bank Building, at 255 Broad Street –2nd Floor, Kingsport, Tennessee. 

Preceding award presentations, keynote speaker Michael Strickland, Chairman of Knoxville-based Bandit Lites, the second largest lighting hire company in the world, will share the inspirational and educational story of how he (starting at the age of 12) turned a $25 idea into a multimillion dollar business.  Founded in Kingsport, in 1968, Bandit Lites has offices in the United States, Europe and Asia; and has been serving a variety of A-list artists and entertainment clients, including but not limited to WWF Wrestling, R.E.M., Jimmy Buffet, Garth Brooks, and the Super Bowl half-time show, for over 40 years.

The title sponsor of the 2009 Annual KOSBE Awards is Southeast Community Capital.  Additional sponsors include Citizens Bank, Clark & Company Development,  GTS Refreshment Services, Integrity Capital Management, Kingsport Times-News, Leinbach Building Services, Pal’s Business Excellence Institute, Plastic Surgery Center of East Tennessee, the Small Business Administration (SBA), Triten Insurance & Financial Services Inc., Urban Synergy, and Wilson Worley Moore Gamble & Stout PC.

For more information and tickets visit KOSBE's web site, www.kosbe.org, or call (423) 392-8811. 

About KOSBE
KOSBE is a nonprofit economic development organization that represents a partnership between the City of Kingsport and the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce, and a proud Strategic Resource Partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Press Contact:
Aundrea Wilcox, Executive Director
Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce
Office of Small Business Development
& Entrepreneurship (KOSBE)
151 East Main St
Kingsport, TN 37662
Phone (423) 392-8801
Email awilcox@kosbe.org
www.kosbe.org