Kelly Services, a small business referred to as a backbone of the community, received the Longview Partnership's 2008 Small Business of the Year Award on Tuesday.
"This is very exciting," Ashley Summers, district manager for Kelly Services in Longview and Tyler, told the crowd of about 200 people at Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center.
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Jacob Croft Botter/News-Journal Photo | Ashley Summers, district manager for Kelly Services, is congratulated Tuesday after receiving the Small Business of the Year award from the Longview Partnership at Maude Cobb.
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"We're honored. Thanks for this wonderful nomination and award," she said.
The personnel services firm was nominated for the staff's tireless effort to support the community in many ways, Kelly Hall, Partnership president, said at the luncheon ceremonies.
"They're very involved in giving back to the community," Hall said.
She said the company will represent Longview in U.S. Chamber of Commerce small business of the year competition early next year.
"They're all over the place," Hall said of community involvement of Kelly Services and the firm's staff.
"Their involvement includes supporting the Partnership, being active in Zonta Club, holding a food drive, providing staffing for AlleyFest, having representatives on the (Partnership) Ambassadors and helping with our golf tournament."
Paul Anderson, Partnership vice president, presented the tourism award to Cathy Cace with Johnny Cace's Seafood and Steak House.
"Gerard and Cathy Cace are the heart and soul of tourism in Longview," Anderson said. "It is because of their passion for tourism that we present the 2008 Tourism Partner of the Year Award to Johnny Cace's."
Cace said she was excited the business was able to continue to help the community grow.
"For those of you who knew Johnny (Cace, founder of the restaurant), you know he's smiling right now," she said.
Stephanie Phillips, owner of The Real Estate Center and winner of the 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year honor, presented Chris Hill with this year's award.
"He's had the vision and idea, and made them work," Phillips said.
She said Hill, in addition to operating a successful business, is involved in the community by giving time and finance resources.
"This is really a big shock," Hill said. He said his success is a sign that by "keeping in the trenches, giving it a lot of dedication and by keep plugging away that things will happen for you."
The graduates of the Longview Partnership's 2007-08 Leadership Longview Program also were recognized. They are Sam Wood, Michael Watson, William Wallace Jr., Francisco Vasquez, Lindsay Vanderbilt, Tom Sledge, Renee Rice, Lori Osborne, Carmel Orren, Shane Newby, Mary Morton, Carlton Mitchell, Jafari McClenton, Andrea Mayo, Jeff Mach, Chad Jones, Branden Johnson, Debbie Ferguson, Jacob Farmer, Kevin Cummings and Michael Black.
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Partnership awards
Small Business of the Year: Kelly Services
Tourism Partner of the Year: Johnny Cace's Seafood and Steak House
Entrepreneur of the Year: Personally Fit by Chris Hill
