Mel Bedwell Small Businessperson of the Year Nomination Information

Read the form below or download the form by clicking here: Bedwell Nomination Form

Mel Bedwell Small Businessperson of the Year

Nomination Information

The Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce Small Business Committee will present the Chamber’s Small Businessperson of the Year Award named in memory of Mel Bedwell during Small Business Month activities in May.

CRITERIA

  • Definition: A small business is considered to be one that employs fewer than 200 full-time employees and is locally owned and operated (within the Chamber’s service area of Cleveland and Bradley County).
  • Eligibility: The nominee must be a current member in good standing of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce and must been a member for at least one year prior to the deadline for nominations.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • STAYING POWER—A substantiated history as an established business. Minimum of three years in business.
  • GROWTH IN NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES—A benchmark to judge the impact of the business on the job market (maximum of 200 full-time).
  • INCREASE IN SALES AND/OR UNIT VOLUME—An indication of continued growth.
  • INNOVATIVENESS OF PRODUCT OR SERVICE OFFERED—Illustrations of the creativity and imagination of the nominee.
  • RESPONSE TO ADVERSITY—Written documentation of examples of problems faced by the nominee’s business and the methods used to solve them.
  • EVIDENCE OF CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE NOMINEE TO AID COMMUNITY-ORIENTED PROJECTS—The nominee’s involvement in or contributions to civic/community, charitable, religious and professional organizations. Definitions: Involvement = Volunteer time; Contribution = Donation of funds, goods or services and/or other evidence of the nominee’s effort to assist other small businesses.

 

Previous Winners: 1994—Ron Braam, Manufacturers Chemicals; 1995—Susan Shelton, Bradley News Weekly; 1996—Mel Bedwell, Cleveland Business Machines; 1997—Larry McDaniel, Town Squire; 1998—Reba Garrison, State Farm Insurance; 1999—Jim Duggan, Robinson Building Centers; 2000—Cathy Boettner, Cleveland Tubing; 2001—Dan Cooke, Cooke’s Food Stores/Panera Bread; 2002—Kay Jenkins-Cowan, Jenkins Deli; 2003—Kenny Higgins, Santek Environmental; 2004—Loye Hamilton, Coldwell Banker/Hamilton & Associates; 2005—Ross Tarver, Tarver Distributing; 2006—Lynn Jones, Lynn Jones Enterprises; 2007—Steve Robinson, Cleveland Plywood; 2008—Don Geren, Cleveland/Bradley Business Incubator; 2009— Jim Workman, Bender Realty; 2010—Hal Roe, Bradley Rentals; 2011—Ed Jacobs, Ed Jacobs & Associates; 2012—Shannon Ritzhaupt, Café Roma; 2013—Debbie Melton, Don Ledford Automotive; 2014—Roger Pickett, Murmaid Mattress; 2015—Greg Hicks, Impressions Catering; 2016—Jeff Cocks, Corporate Networking Solutions; 2017—Bob McIntire, McIntire & Associates Insurance; 2018—Pam Nelson, Ocoee Insurance Services; 2019—Jeff Wolfenden, Crawford’s Pharmacy; 2020—Steve Hartline, WCLE-Mix 104.1; 2021—Brad Benton, Baskin-Robbins.

 

DEADLINE

Mail, email or deliver the nomination by March 31, 2022:

Mel Bedwell Small Businessperson of the Year Award

Email: BDouglas@clevelandchamber.com

Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce Inc.

225 Keith Street, SW

P.O. Box 2275

Cleveland, TN 37320-2275

Cover Sheet

MEL BEDWELL SMALL BUSINESSPERSON

OF THE YEAR AWARD

 

Name of Nominee________________________________________________________________

Business of Nominee______________________________________________________________

Nominator:______________________________________________________________________

Contact Information: _______________________________________________________________

 

Include this form as the cover sheet for the nomination.  Please fill in any blanks as indicated and attach narrative information as indicated.

 

  1. NOMINATION LETTER—Attach a cover letter addressing why you as the nominator feel that this person should receive the Mel Bedwell Small Business Person of the Year Award.

 

  1. STAYING POWER—Minimum of three years in business.

Date Business Formed:__________

Number of Years Continuous Operation:__________ (If business has not been in continuous operation, attach a paragraph titled “Staying Power” (of 100 words or less) to explain any gaps.)

 

  1. GROWTH IN NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES (maximum of 200 full-time)

Number of employees in first year of operation: ______

Current number of employees:______

 

  1. INCREASE IN SALES AND/OR UNIT VOLUME—An indication of continued growth.

Attach a statement indicating the growth of the company.

  1. INNOVATIVENESS OF PRODUCT OR SERVICE OFFERED—Attach a paragraph of 500 words or less titled “Innovativeness” describing same.

 

  1. RESPONSE TO ADVERSITY—Attach written documentation of examples of problems faced by the nominee’s business and the methods used to solve them. (No more than 500 words)

 

  1. EVIDENCE OF CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE NOMINEE TO AID COMMUNITY-ORIENTED PROJECTS—Attach description of the nominee’s efforts in this area.

 

  1. LETTERS OF ENDORSEMENT—No more than two (2) letters of endorsement may be included.