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May 12, 2007

Small Business persons of the Year announced

By Nancy Glasscock

The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce announced the 2007 Small Business Persons of the Year Friday at a luncheon that was the culmination of the Chamber’s third annual Small Business Week.

This year’s winners were selected from four categories based on the number of employees: Category 1, (six or fewer employees,) Bob and Gerri Keefe, The Whole Earth Store; Category 2, (six to 15 employees,) Chris Borden, Borden Family Pharmacy, Category 3, (16 to 25 employees,) Michael Pitts, Creative Design & Screen Printing; Category 4, (25 or more employees,) Brandon Mulkey, Chick-fil-A.

A new recognition added this year — Small New Business Person of the Year — for businesses that have been in operation for two years or less, was awarded to Wendy Smith of Wendy’s Health and Nutrition.

“The small businesses here today are the backbone of this community,” said Chair-elect Dr. Steve Murphree. “Everyone of you are to be commended for what you do.”

The guest speaker at Friday’s event was Mickey Newsome, CEO of Hibbett Sporting Goods. The Birmingham-based company celebrated its 10th anniversary as a public company in October 2006, and was ranked No. 77 in Forbes magazine’s 200 Best Small Companies. Established in 1945 under the name Dixie Supply Company in Florence, the company changed its name to Hibbett Sporting Goods in the mid 1960s.

The company’s headquarters moved to Birmingham in 1981, when Hibbett operated 16 stores. By October 1996, Hibbett Sporting Goods had grown to 79 stores in 10 states with about $83 million in sales. Hibbett Sporting Goods now has 625 stores in 23 states and recorded $500 million in sales last year.

Newsome said a “certain amount of know-how” is required to operate in the small business market.

“We think there’s a lot of potential in the small market, and we look forward to continuing our growth in the Sunbelt” he said. “We aren’t going to get cocky and start building castles. We’re going to continue to build stores that belong in the community.”

This years’ Small Business of the Year nominees were Chris Borden of Borden Family Pharmacy; Donna Burns of Bella Faire Day Spa, Sue Carter and Tommy Waldrop of Carter Waldrop Real Estate, Annette Harris of Rumors Deli; Matt Heim of the All Steak Restaurant, Greg and Angela Hendon of Servpro of Cullman, Tracie Johnson of the UPS Store, Bob and Gerri Keefe of The Whole Earth Store and Coffee House, Brian Morris of Just B Incorporated, Brandon Mulkey of Chick-fil-A, Sony Nix of Better Than Before, Bobby Noles of Hanceville Inn & Suites, Michael Pitts of Creative Design and Screen Printing, Joan Smith of Three Pear Shoe Outlet and Wendy Smith of Wendy’s Health and Nutrition.

Small Business Committee Chair Jeb Williamson said 70 percent of new jobs are created by small businesses that produce about half of the gross domestic product for the United States.

“All in all, small business has a very significant role in our local and global economy,” Williamson said.

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