Chamber names small-business award finalists

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce this morning released the names of five finalists for its 2015 Small Business Award.

The finalists are:

• All About Trees, a tree care company offering pruning, trimming, removal, planting and other services in a 20-mile radius around Springfield;
• Community Partnership of the Ozarks Inc., which manages some 30 grants and contracts funded by local, state and federal dollars to help coordinate and develop community resources and social programs in southwest Missouri;
• Dake Wells Architecture Inc., a Springfield firm that emphasizes progressive and sustainable architecture;
• Layer 3 Technology, which offers computer sales, consulting and information technology management services; and
• People Centric Consulting Group, which handles strategic planning, business analysis, leadership development and other consulting services.

To be honored during a May 6 ceremony at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Oasis Convention Center, finalists were chosen by an independent panel of judges based on written applications comprising essays on company history, business or management philosophy, response to challenges, innovative products or services, and community contributions, according to a news release.

Last year, Paragon Architecture Inc. took home the award.[[In-content Ad]]