By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

PELHAM—The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce recognized recipients and nominees for the second annual Small Business of the Year Awards sponsored by Regions Bank during a June 25 luncheon held at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena.

Trash Taxi of Alabama, located in Pelham, received the award for a small business with one to 10 employees and open for one year or more. Calera Dental Center, located in Calera, received the award for a small business with 11 to 20 employees and open for one year or more. Event Operations Group, located in Pelham, received the award for a small business with 21 or more employees and open for one year or more. Chubb’s Grub Station, located in Alabaster, received the award in this year’s new category, small businesses with less than 25 employees and open for less than one year.

“Seventy percent of all jobs created in this country are from small businesses,” Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Chair Bill Keller said in his opening remarks. “Our primary purpose is to show appreciation to small businesses for all they do everyday.”

Thirty-five businesses were nominated for this year’s Small Business of the Year Awards, a nearly 70-percent increase in nominations from last year’s first edition of the awards.

“We put (out a) call for nominations,” Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce President Kirk Mancer said, explaining businesses were nominated by customers and members of the Chamber’s Small Business Work Group.

The 35 nominees were divided into the four categories and evaluated by a panel of three judges. Although the judges wished to remain anonymous, Mancer said one was from the banking industry, one was an accountant and one was an attorney.

The three judges chose recipients of the Small Business of the Year Award based on their growth, both financially and in number of employees, and community involvement, Mancer explained.

Although four businesses received awards, Mancer said the event is a celebration of “businesses in the entire community.”

“You truly are an investment in Shelby County,” Mancer said to the business owners in his closing remarks. “We appreciate you doing business in Shelby County. If there is anything your chamber can do to help you, please let us know.”