Honoring Stark County’s best private business

It’s an honor enjoyed by 59 businesses in the past. The time is here to nominate Stark County businesses for the sixth annual SCOPE awards, to be presented April 29.

Business people throughout Stark County are encouraged to nominate their colleagues or themselves to the slate of companies considered for the awards.

Stark County’s Outstanding Private Enterprises awards are designed to honor businesses with up to 1,000 employees which demonstrate staying power; service and product innovation; employment growth; response to adversity; and community involvement.

“We had a good number of nominees last year,” says Ron Manse, chairman of the SCOPE organizing committee. “It was difficult to make the choice.”

This year, the choice could get even harder with the addition of a new category—the Business of the Year. Previous SCOPE winners are eligible for this category.

The Business of the Year award will be presented to a company that “has grown by the number of employees, expansion of operations, capital improvements, increased product line or has succeeded in other related areas within the current year.”

“We’re trying to make this a prestigious award,” Manse says, “something that every business is proud to receive.”

In addition to the Outstanding Business and Business of the Year awards, a Business Advocate award is presented to the business “that promotes an environment which contributes to the growth of privately owned businesses, expanded operations and employment, aided community-oriented projects and actively promotes and contributes in some way to the relocation of out-of-county businesses to Stark County.”

The nomination period runs through Feb. 19. Nominees are sent application questionnaires, due March 5. Winners are selected by a committee of business people from various industries throughout Stark County.

This year’s banquet is Thursday, April 29, at the Brookside Country Club. SBN is a sponsor of the program. Any business interested in serving as a sponsor may contact Kathy Stewart at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Business people may nominate someone using the accompanying form and faxing or mailing it to the chamber. Nomination forms will be mailed to various executives by the chamber. For additional information, call the Canton Chamber at (330) 456-7253.