Chamber announces Small Business Award finalists

Last edited 3:19 p.m., April 6, 2023

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce this morning announced the finalists for its 2023 W. Curtis Strube Small Business Award.

The five finalists were selected after nominees submitted written applications that include essays on company history, management philosophy, responses to challenges, innovation in product and service offerings, and contributions to the community, according to a news release. An independent panel of judges scored the entries.

The finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
• Bug Zero, a pest treatment business founded by owner and CEO Ivan Eftink in 1990;
• Grooms Office Environments, a 46-year-old commercial furniture business co-owned by Audrey and Jonathan Garard;
• Jordan Essentials, a bath and body products manufacturer founded in 2000 by Nancy Bogart;
• Kare Health & Wellness, a functional medicine business from owner and founder Keri Sutton; and
• Revel Advertising, a Springfield market agency founded by Nicole and Chris Jarratt.

The winner is slated to be announced during the chamber's Small Business Award event on May 10 at the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center, according to the release.

Ron Eidshaug, government affairs vice president and chief of staff for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is on board to deliver a keynote presentation at the event on federal policymaking, with an emphasis on small business.

Last year, Cabinet Concepts by Design won the chamber's Small Business Award, according to past reporting. The finalists were Audio Acoustics, Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, H Design Group LLC and Hold Fast Brewing.