Meet the 7 winners of the Manatee Chamber’s 2021 Small Business of the Year Awards
None of the small business and nonprofit nominees went untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yet, all of them managed to shine during the darkest of times. They innovated, adapted and served their community.
Tuesday evening, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce announced five winners in the 41st Annual Small Business of the Year Awards, as well as two winners in the nonprofit category.
The awards were not presented last year because of the pandemic.
This year’s awards were based on quality and excellence as shown by growth, productivity, customer service, job creation and overall contribution to the community.
“You’re creating jobs and you’re taking risks,” chamber president Jacki Dezelski said in saluting a record field of about 230 entrants, which judges winnowed to seven eventual winners.
Sherod Halliburton and Tameka Burch-Moore, both of Financial Access Federal Credit Unit, shared the honors in presenting the awards at the Bradenton Area Convention Center before a crowd of nearly 500.
“We believe every nominee is a winner,” Halliburton said.
List of winners
Small Business Category I: Vet Care Express Animal Ambulance
Small Business Category II: Crystal Clean Green Cleaning
Small Business Category III: Ellenton Discount Pharmacy
Small Business Category IV: Florida Suncoast Real Estate, Inc.
Small Business Category V: Shake Station Restaurant
Non-Profit Category I: Take Stock in Children of Manatee County
Non-Profit Category II: Hope Family Services
‘This Chamber is legendary’
One of Tuesday night’s winners, Andy Ameres, owner of the Shake Station Restaurant, 815 8th Ave. W., Ellenton, distributed hundreds of free milkshakes to first responders during the pandemic, a gesture that Halliburton called “spreading milkshake love.”
“’No,’ ‘can’t’, and ‘sorry’ aren’t part of their vocabulary,” Halliburton said of the staff at Shake Station.
Ameres, who accepted the award with his wife Kalli, said Shake Station is primarily staffed by high school and college students.
“When you watch them prevail and blossom in front of your eyes, that is the biggest reward to me,” he said.
In receiving the small business of the year award, Ameres said that it “validates everything we have worked for. Dreams do come true.”
Shake Station received its award in Category V, the largest category in the small business awards.
Taking top honors in Category IV of the small business awards was Florida Suncoast Real Estate, 417 12th St W., Ste 120, Bradenton, owned by Sherry and Barry Grooms.
“We succeed because we stand on the shoulders of giants. This Chamber is legendary,” Barry Grooms said, noting that with more than 2,000 members, the Manatee Chamber is the largest in the Tampa Bay area, as well as being a four-time winner of Florida Chamber of Commerce honors, and a former national chamber of the year.
“Every person in this room is essential in my book,” Grooms said.
‘Blessed to be nominated’
Rounding out the small businesses of the year awards were Category III recipients Kunjal and Ken Patel, owners of Ellenton Discount Pharmacy, 8324 US Hwy. 301 N, Parrish, Category II recipient Steven Pajevic, owner Crystal Clean Green Cleaning, 2123 Porter Lake Drive, Ste. H, Sarasota, and Category I recipient, Cheryl Brady, owner of Vet Care Express Animal Ambulance, 7907 49th Ave. E., Bradenton.
“We are blessed just to be nominated. The most important part is that with this award more people will know about us. We are here to serve, we are here to help and do whatever it takes to save more pets,” Brady said.
In Category I of the non-profit category, Take Stock in Children of Manatee County with Ann LeBaron as executive director was chosen as a winner for its work with students to help them achieve their potential.
“The students we work with are the real winners,” LeBaron said. “ We are making a difference.”
More than 60 students enrolled in Take Stock are on course to receive college scholarships.
The other nonprofit award went to Hope Family Services with Laurel Lynch as chief executive officer.
HOPE Family Services provides services to survivors of domestic violence, a problem exacerbated by the stresses of the pandemic.
“I have never met a more committed group of people. Our staff has been through the wringer,” Lynch said. “We are saving lives every day. We didn’t lose one survivor who is a client during the pandemic.”
