As our second annual Local First Springfield Awards and annual meeting are fast approaching, we want to take the opportunity to highlight this year’s nominees. Make sure you’ve booked your ticket for Thursday, September 12 at Springfield Electric Lighting & Design, co-hosted by Capital City Event Planning with drinks for purchase from Just The Basics and food from Cured Catering.
Emerging & Energized Award – sponsored by The Arizona Tile Company
This award is for the members that are new businesses in operation and already turning heads.
Serious Lip Balm
Serious Lip Balm was started accidentally by two chicks who had no business starting a business. We didn’t mean for all of this to happen. We never researched market trends and heck, neither of us has ever been to business school. Serious Lip Balm was born with the idea that we wanted to make some really kick-ass gifts to give to some really kick-ass people. And we didn’t settle down until that lip balm was perfect.
Once we figured out the formula for (what we believe is) the world’s most fabulous lip balm we ventured into the lip scrub arena. That was followed by healing balm, paw balm, lotion bars, whipped body butter, nipple balm, a balm to help smoosh faced dogs, etc. We never create a product that has a bunch of nonsense things that you can’t pronounce on the label, and never release a product until we feel like it is better than what is already available.
It went from some really awesome lip balms given to close friends and family and has become a thriving business with 70-ish different scents of lip balms, ten products, and sold in retail locations from Colorado to Washington, DC. Despite its growth it still remains a business that strives to give something great to people that mean the world to us.
We are all about making amazing body products with simple ingredients as well as doing good in our community and world. We are currently partnered with a rehabilitation center that employs wonderful people who might otherwise have a hard time getting jobs. We are also involved with a foundation that educates folks about breast cancer, and another that supports families whose children are in the NICU. It is an amazing world and we are committed to making it even better.
We did not mean for Serious Lip Balm to happen, but we are holding on with both hands and enjoying this ride.
Bow and Arrow Salon
We are a salon in Springfield, offering a full salon and spa experience. Always staying up to date on the newest trends and looks. We are about empowering women and believe in community versus competition.
Bailey Family Insurance
Bailey Family Insurance is a local, family and veteran owned independent insurance agency. BFI specializes in home, auto, life, and commercial insurance, and has direct contracts with over 30 top-rated carriers to find the right coverage at the best price to suit your unique insurance needs. BFI is a new age insurance agency, offering digital features and the best policies the industry has to offer.
Pratt Woodworks
We are a custom furniture and design business built on using the highest quality local hardwoods grown and milled right here in Springfield. All pieces of furniture are designed with the clients’ style and function in mind, while aiming to preserve and showcase the natural beauty of the wood. My goal for every piece of furniture made is for it to become an heirloom-quality part of every family or business, that can then be passed down to future generations.
Social Change Maker Award - sponsored by Scooter’s Lawn Care
This award is for members where a positive social impact is at the core of their purpose. They are creating opportunities to address social issues and better our world.
Alignlife of Springfield
We are a natural health center that offers services of chiropractic care, muscle rehabilitation, massage therapy, nutritional support and acupuncture to help our patients reach their health goals.
Sensible Innovations
Rasha Said launched Sensible Innovations in 2015 to help improve the lives of America’s 21 million visually impaired. She has created an app, AWARE, which uses Apple iBeacon technology to communicate information to the visually impaired about their surroundings.
The ibeacons' signals trigger the app, which identifies the location, downloads the information and a text reader on the iPhone describes the environment. Access to information at the right time and place negates the need for memorization or fear of getting lost.
Through this technology Rasha is providing the visually impaired with the gift of independence and freedom, which will allow a person to explore at their own pace.
Johnson & Johnson Auto Service Center (Carolyn Pemberton)
Established in 1935. Johnson and Johnson is a family business that has been around for 87 years, founded by Ed Johnson. Johnson and Johnson was first known as Linco Oil. In 1963 Lee and his father Ed formed a corporation and moved the business on the corner of Iles and MacArthur. One year later they had closed the Iles location and enlarged the Outer Park Drive station. at that time lee had sold the Marathon Gasoline side and went to auto repair. In 1977 Lee had decided to move to Stevenson Drive! Currently that is where we are at today! Johnson and Johnson is a full service auto repair station! Sorry we aren't open on the weekends we would like our employees to spend time with family! We have a fantastic shuttle service at your convenience, should you need a ride to work or home or even picking up a turkey at the store we are here to service YOU! Johnson and Johnson is a full service mechanical shop. This past year we have been known as the Jeep Whispers and are expanding in Jeep Wrangler modifications.
Eck, Schafer & Punke, LLP
Eck, Schafer & Punke, LLP is an accounting firm of highly experienced professionals with a common philosophy in the way we do business. Our focus is to provide thoughtful, experienced, proactive service in a timely manner at a reasonable price.
Best Collaboration Award – sponsored by Heartland Financial Services
This award is for members that have worked together, developed, and achieved a successful collaboration.
Scooter’s Lawn Care
We are a full-service landscaping company, specializing in the design and installation of custom landscape and outdoor living spaces that will create a luxurious everyday life for our clients.
Distinctive Designs for Kitchens & Baths and The Arizona Tile Company
Distinctive Designs is a 29-year-old business serving central Illinois with expertise in design, cabinetry, countertops and coordination of complex projects.
Founded in 1995, The Arizona Tile Company has evolved from a tile only company to a full-service floor covering retail store specializing in tile. We have an 8000sf beautiful showroom filled with tile, natural stone, carpet, hardwood, luxury vinyl, laminate and sheet vinyl, as well as granite and quartz countertops. The Arizona Tile Company also provides professional installation for everything we offer.
Café Moxo and Buzz Bomb Brewing Co.
Café Moxo is a locally owned and operated restaurant passionate about our food, service, employees and our community
Buzz Bomb Brewing Co. is a craft beer destination in downtown Springfield that has recently started expanding distribution to businesses and stores.
Innovators Award
This award is for members that have applied innovative solutions to overcome obstacles and experienced positive change as a result.
Buzz Bomb Brewing Co.
Buzz Bomb Brewing Co is a craft beer destination in downtown Springfield that has recently started expanding distribution to businesses and stores.
Casa Real
Just The Basics Mobile Bar
JTB is a local forward mobile bartending service.
VELE
VELE is Italian for blank canvas. Our chef, Justin Richardson, envisions a “blank canvas” of possibilities as he develops an ever-changing menu drawn from not only his Italian heritage and culinary studies in Italy, but also his classical French training; French precision, modern Italian influence.
The ownership team consists of Dan Sperry, Nichole Sperry and Justin Richardson, the ultimate trifecta. Dan handles the business and operational aspects, Nichole is our design and marketing aficionado and Justin is our purveyor of all things culinary, developing our menu and training the kitchen staff.
Our specialty... modern coastal Italian; seafood, pastas, and steaks. We believe in sharing and experiencing new and different tastes so we will offer a multitude of small plates meant for sampling, sharing and pairing with our great wines, alongside limited entree selections from the southern Italian region. All clean, fresh, simple, unique, and very deep in flavor.
Who doesn’t love good food and a new experience?! Ultimately this is a project of passion for each of us in our own unique way. As businessman, designer and chef we each bring a different aspect to the table, literally. We are huge advocates of supporting and promoting locally owned, independent restaurants and we want to play a part to increase the economic and cultural vitality in downtown Springfield. Our hope is to deliver a satisfying, meaningful dining experience unlike something Springfield has ever seen.
Wave Makers Award – sponsored byGem PR & Media
This award is for members that are established businesses and are setting the standard for their industry in and around the city.
Springfield Electric Lighting & Design
My great grandfather launched our business in 1929. Originally it was named Schnirring Electric, he changed it to Springfield Electric Supply Company in 1932. Since the mid-1950s, the company’s branch operation and company headquarters have occupied the 700 block of North 9th Street in Springfield, with several building renovations and expansions. Springfield Electric Supply Company, a local independent business, is now part family and part employee-owned with 19 locations across Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, and Indiana. Working alongside my father, Randy Germeraad, as Lighting & Design Sales Manager with responsibility in Springfield, Champaign, and Bloomington I see it not only as my role to build the business but also to continue to support the communities in which we operate. It is not just our 75 associates (in Springfield) and their families that benefit from the work we do in the community but those that need it most. Our community - and those in it - is extremely important to us. Springfield has been a supporter of our company for 87 years and so we firmly believe it is our responsibility to give back. We are a proud supporter of United Way through all 19 of our locations. Here in Springfield, we make it a priority to get involved in the organization’s fundraising and awareness-raising activities on an annual basis, which includes employee giving. As a company we hold a competition between all 19 branches for volunteer work. Each branch is challenged to get involved and support a new organization within their community. We have been involved with Lincoln Memorial Garden too.
The Gallery of Springfield
The Gallery Salon & Skin Care Boutique Has been in business for 26 years. The owners, Vicki and Tracy have been partners since the beginning. We provide services for hair and skin care including hair cutting, coloring, smoothing, texturizing and hair extensions for all hair types. Our skin care services include facials treatments for every skin type, professional peels, dermaplaning, lash extensions make-up application and lessons & coming soon, massage therapy & microblading. At the Gallery, every service is accompanied by an exquisite guest experience...celebrity experience!! Our specifically hand-picked team attend the best education and are consistently training to be the very best industry wide. Several of our team members are regional educators for our industry leading product lines.
Crowdson Creative
We help businesses and non-profits communicate through video. We produce TV commercials, web videos, training videos, product demonstrations, client testimonials, documentaries, music videos and more.
Milner Dentistry
Providing the most advanced dental care in a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere are the priorities of Dr. Ty Milner. Dr. Ty is diligent in his pursuit to stay current in providing the profession’s leading dental care procedures while utilizing state-of-the-art technology, supplies and equipment.
Dr. Ty has taken over the family business started by his father in 1987. He has been a life-long resident of central Illinois, being raised in Rochester, IL. He and his wife Kasey have two children and another due in October 2019.
Two further awards will be presented on the night; the Local First Springfield Member of the Year Award, sponsored by Sangamon Reclaimed, for the best of the best and selected by our panel of judges.
The second is the Local First Springfield Champion Award for a member that encompasses everything for which our organization stands. This award is chosen by the Local First Springfield president andsponsored by Marine Bank.
Comments