Chamber Honors Local Small Businesses at Virtual Summit & Awards
The Tulsa Regional Chamber honored seven local businesses at this year’s Tulsa Small Business Summit & Awards. The summit is a half-day conference for regional small business and nonprofit leaders and their employees produced by the Tulsa Small Business Connection, a program of the Tulsa Regional Chamber that educates and empowers businesses with 50 employers or fewer.
“While this year has been full of unforeseen challenges for the entire business community, the pandemic has hit our region’s small businesses especially hard,” said Roger Ramseyer, vice president and Tulsa market leader for Cox Communications and chair of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “Now more than ever, we want to support local businesses and celebrate their vital contributions to our region. We at the Chamber are proud to be partners in prosperity with so many exceptional business owners.”
This year’s Small Business Award winners are:
• Small Business Person of the Year Award: Elli Johannsson, 360 Engineering Group
• Rising Star (Entrepreneur of the Year) Award: Angelene Ripley Wright, Ida Red
• Manufacturer of the Year Award: Rupesh K. Parekh, Chemtrade Refinery Services
• Entrepreneurial Success Award: Hannibal B. Johnson, Hannibal B. Johnson, Esq.
• Diverse Business Champion Award: Denise Reid, Key Personnel
• Pioneer Award: Nicole & Tim Smallwood, Tropical Smoothie Café
• Lifetime Achievement Award: TES Productions
The Chamber received more than 60 nominations for the awards. Nominees went through an extensive application process judged by chamber of commerce executives from outside the region.
“Small businesses have overcome such adversity this year, and the summit is an opportunity to recognize their achievements,” said Weldon Bowman, owner of W Design and chair of the Tulsa Small Business Connection. “While this year’s event looked different than past events, it was an opportunity to reflect on our resilience and celebrate our accomplishments. Our winners exemplify the best attributes of our region’s small business community: a commitment to excellence, outstanding customer service and unwavering perseverance.”
Small Business Person of the Year Elli Johannsson has experienced tremendous growth in his business since founding 360 Engineering Group seven years ago. The firm has also been involved in some of Tulsa’s landmark projects, including the Tulsa City-County Central Library, the Tulsa Club Hotel, The Boxyard and Gathering Place.
