Salt Lake Chamber honors small businesses for succeeding in a difficult economy

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake Chamber will recognize small businesses, a nonprofit and volunteers for their contributions to Utah's business community at noon today at the Grand America Hotel.

"What we really have an opportunity to do this year in honoring these small businesses, is to recognize organizations that have been able to weather a very severe storm and not only weather it, but have been able to excel in really adverse conditions," said Salt Lake Chamber spokesman Marty Carpenter.

Small businesses are especially important now because they generate job growth and economic recovery, he said.

Cucina Toscana will be presented the Small Business of the Year Award. The restaurant, a product of a partnership between an architect and Italian gentleman, is being recognized in part for succeeding at a location where another restaurant folded after nine months.

Every Blooming Thing will be presented the Entrepreneurial Success Award for succeeding after Pam March, a single mother, started the floral business with little capital. The business opened a second store in Draper and covers the Wasatch Front from Kaysville to Provo.

Busath Studio & Gardens will be presented the Community Service Award for creating portraits of children for a gallery exhibit to promote the adoption of teens. The studio also joined other photographers to craft portraits of families that could not otherwise afford one.

J. Wong's Asian Bistro will be presented the Minority Small Business Award for quickly becoming a popular restaurant after taking a risk by opening in downtown Salt Lake. The restaurant is run by Kwan Wong and her four sons.

Carpenter said the Minority Small Business Award is a good example of how the awards benefit small businesses.

"They're going to get up and receive an award in front of a group of close to 700 attendees who all are going to find out something about their restaurant," Carpenter said. "How many of those people are going to go give that restaurant a try?"

Ballet West will be presented the Nonprofit of the Year Award for its commitment to presenting high-quality ballets and for offering education and outreach programs to students across Utah. The chamber said Ballet West has served more than 100,000 students, teachers and other community members in recent years.

Five individuals will also be recognized for service to the Chamber. Amy Coady, of Squatters Pubs and Beers; Richard Kendell, of the Utah State Board of Regents; Michael Lane, of Sprint Nextel; Jason Steed, of Targa Media; and Don Whyte, of Rio Tinto's Kennecott Land, will all be presented the Chamber Champion Awards.

"These are individuals that have gone above and beyond the call of duty," Carpenter said. "Those who've really taken advantage of the opportunity to participate fully in the chamber."

For the fourth time in the chamber's history, the organization will present the President's Award of Excellence. Mark Bouchard, chairman of the chamber's Education Task Force, will receive the award for what Carpenter said is a full-time volunteer contribution to the organization.

"His investment in our community and his dedication to education have played a significant role in the chamber's efforts with education," Carpenter said.

e-mail: sgarn@desnews.com