Chamber unveils Small Business Award finalists

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

The winner among the five finalists is slated to be announced during the chamber's Small Business Award event scheduled May 1 at Oasis Hotel & Convention Center, according to a news release.

The finalists are:
• 417 Magazine, a lifestyle and business publication owned by Logan Aguirre and founded by her parents, Joan and Gary Whitaker.
• Dake Wells Architecture Inc., an architecture firm founded in 2004 by Brandon Dake and Andrew Wells.
• Ireland Architects Inc., an architecture firm led by Stephanie Ireland that started in 2000.
• Ozark Empire Fairgrounds & Event Center, an organization in business since 1937 that holds over 100 events annually.
• Volt Credit Union, a financial institution with nearly 7,000 members in the Springfield area.

Representatives from the finalist companies are slated to participate in an April 4 panel discussion during the chamber's Good Morning, Springfield! event.

At the May 1 Small Business Award event, former basketball player Jackie Stiles is slated to serve as the keynote speaker, according to the release.

Kare Health & Wellness LLC, a functional medicine business from owner and founder Keri Sutton, won last year's Small Business Award, according to past reporting.