By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— To celebrate small businesses and their impact in Shelby County, the Greater Shelby Chamber recognized 43 businesses at its annual “Salute to Small Business” luncheon May 25.

Small Business of the Year honors were awarded to Hoover’s T. Fox Salon, Alabaster’s Wilson Computer Support, Montevallo’ Eclipse Coffee and Books and Pelham’s Shelby Pediatric Dentistry, Pelham Eye Care and

Refrigerant Solutions, Inc.

Each winning organization represented one of five categories based on its total employees and its number of years open.

“Congratulations to all our 2016 recipients and all our nominees,” said Chamber President and CEO Kirk Mancer. “Each and every one of you are outstanding and provide a great resource for our communities. We appreciate each and every one of your for choosing to create and do business in Shelby County.”

There were 43 total nominees in five categories for the Chamber’s 2016 Small Business of the Year, according to Mancer. He explained an independent panel of judges reviewed the nominees May 10.

The panel—consisting of an attorney, a banker, an accountant and two small business representatives—evaluated nominees based on the following criteria: staying power or longevity of business operations, growth in number of employees over a three-year span, increase in sales, response to adversity and evidence of contributions to the community.

“Small businesses continue to be important to our Shelby County economy,” Mancer said. “The impact they make each and every day –as employers and as investors in our communities – is second to none.”

The following businesses were nominated for each category:

One to five employees open one year or more

• AdvaPay Systems, LLC
• Brownstone Marketing Solutions
• Coleman Construction, Inc.
• Community Response Systems, LLC
• Expedia Cruise Ship Centers
• Express Tire and Auto
• HomeTown Realtors, LLC
• Jones and Associates, LLC
• Kai’s Koffee
• Oh My Soul
• Pelham Flowers by Desiree
• Peter Northcott, Realtor
• Sawyer Solutions, LLC
• Scozzaro Law, LLC
• Selective Management Services, LLC
• T. Fox Salon

Six to 10 employees open one year or more

• Bradford & Holliman, LLC
• Eclipse Coffee and Books
• Heritage Cultivation Specialists
• Junk King of Birmingham
• SAS Tax and Accounting, LLC
• Shelby Pediatric Dentistry
• Snag Equipment & Lubrication, Inc.
• Sniders Pharmacy and Ground Up Coffee and Smoothies
• Trash Taxi of Alabama, LLC

11 to 20 employees open one year or more

• Coal Yard
• Glenn Contracting & Paving Company, Inc.
• The Happy Catering Company
• Ovation Media, Inc.
• Wilson Computer Support, LLC

21 or more employees open one year or more

• Event Operations Group, Inc.
• Express Oil Change and Tire Engineers
• Helena Health Club
• Mr. Bugg’s Pest Patrol, Inc.
• Pelham Eye Care (Recipient)
• School for Amazing Kids

Less than 25 employees open less than one year

• Chad Hartsfield State Farm
• CRM Marketing Solutions
• Jennifer Campbell Consulting
• Focal Point Coaching and Training Excellence
• Jon Riddle – Brik Realty
• Lazy Boy BBQ, LLC
• Melinda Thomas Creative
• Refrigerant Solutions, Inc.