HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2011-03-04 business award nominations
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Celebrating Leesburg’s Best:
Town Calls for Business Award Nominations
10th Annual Business Appreciation Reception scheduled for May 17, 2011
Leesburg, VA (March 4, 2011) – The
Town of Leesburg is proud to announce
the 10th Annual Business Appreciation
Awards. The deadline for nominations is
Friday, March 18, 2011. Winners will be
announced at the annual Business
Appreciation Reception on Tuesday, May
17, 2011.
Leesburg’s annual Business Appreciation
Awards program began in October 2001.
At the first Business Appreciation
Reception, businesses were recognized in
three award categories – the New
Business Award, the Heritage Award and the George C. Marshall Corporate Citizen Award.
Twenty-four nominations were received. A small group gathered in the lower level of Town
Hall to recognize the winners, GeoConcepts Engineering (New Business Award), Leesburg
Restaurant (Heritage Award) and Bruce Roberts with Leesburg Pharmacy (George C. Marshall
Award).
Over the years, the awards program has grown tremendously and is now Leesburg’s premier
business event. In 2002, the reception was held at the (then) Laurel Brigade Inn. In 2003, three
additional award categories – the Ambassador Award, the Home Based Business Award, and
the Innovations Award - were created and the event was moved to the Thomas Birkby House.
In 2006, the Town began recognizing businesses that had been in operation in Leesburg for 25
or more continuous years as “Legacy Businesses.” By 2010, three more award categories had
been added, including the Environmental Award, the Public Art Award and the Community
Steward Award, and over 80 nominations were received and attendance topped 230.
“The growth of the Business Appreciation Awards really reflects the growth and maturity of
Leesburg’s business community over the years,” commented Marantha Edwards, the Town’s
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Economic Development Manager. “Every year, I am impressed with the variety and quality of
the businesses nominated for these awards.”
For the 2011 Business Appreciation Awards, businesses will be recognized for their outstanding
business practices in nine award categories:
• New Business Award - Celebrates a new business started within the last 3 years that, while
respectful of Leesburg’s past, represents the best of the Town’s future.
• Heritage Award - Celebrates a thriving business that has made a long-term commitment to
preserving the integrity and character of Leesburg’s Historic Downtown.
• Ambassador Award - Celebrates a business or organization that has fostered a positive
image of Leesburg as a business location or tourist destination.
• Innovations Award - Celebrates a business that has brought recognition to Leesburg
through creative marketing efforts, innovative business ventures and/or unique product
development.
• Environmental Award - Celebrates a business that conducts or participates in activities that
benefit the environment through its business practices and policies on an on-going basis.
• Home-Based Business Award - Celebrates the owner of an independent product- or
service-based business, operated from a residence located within Leesburg, who serves as a
small business advocate with the business community.
• Public Art Award - Celebrates a business that makes a contribution to the development of
the Town’s public art program, or actively supports the arts within the Town of Leesburg.
• Community Steward Award - Celebrates a for-profit business that participates actively in
the community by contributing its resources.
• The George C. Marshall Award - Celebrates an individual who has demonstrated an
exemplary commitment to the community above and beyond business contributions.
Eligible nominees for all categories must have the primary physical location of the company,
organization or business entity within the corporate limits of the Town of Leesburg. Businesses
must possess a valid Town of Leesburg business license, must be in compliance with all Town
ordinances and must have been in operation for at least one year. Persons nominated for the
George C. Marshall Corporate Citizen Award do not need to reside within the Town.
Nominations may be submitted online (www.leesburgva.gov/business) or nominations forms
can be downloaded from the website and submitted by mail, via fax or in person. Nomination
deadline is Friday, March 18, 2011.
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The nominees and award recipients will be recognized at the 10th Annual Business Appreciation
Reception on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at the ProJet Aviation Hangar at the Leesburg Executive
Airport. To RSVP, please contact Tara Belote at 703-771-2708 or tbelote@leesburgva.gov.
Businesses that have been operating in Leesburg for 25 or more years will also be recognized at
the Reception with “Legacy Business” certificates. Nominations for Legacy Businesses may be
submitted via email to Debi Parry (dparry@leesburgva.gov).
Contact:
Tara Belote
Executive Assistant
tbelote@leesburgva.gov
703-771-2708
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