Several key members along the Southwest Michigan Makers Trail are continuing to make their mark in the local marketplace, coming away from the 2018 Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce Business Recognition breakfast this morning with major victories including Watermarket Brewing Company of Stevensville as Small Business of the Year, and the Lazy Ballerina’s co-found Lauren Kniebes copping top honors as the Young Business Leader of the Year Award Winner. Those were two of the major awards presented this morning at the Lake Michigan College’s Grand Upton Hall following a keynote address by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette.
A host of local businesses and business professionals were recognized by their colleagues at the combined Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce and Cornertsone Alliance 2018 Business Recognition Breakfast this morning, Thursday, February 15, 2018. The joint event was held at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center with more than 550 people on hand.
The event was sponsored by Chamber member’s Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Kruggel Lawton CPA’s, Lake Michigan College, Indiana Michigan Power, Slumberland Furniture, and United Federal Credit Union.
Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce President Chris Heugel says, “It’s an absolute honor to have Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette as this year’s key note speaker and we are incredibly humbled that he accepted our invitation. This morning we recognized the achievements of local businesses in our great community and were so proud to help celebrate their accomplishments. Congratulations to this year’s winners on the impact they are making in Michigan’s Great Southwest.”
Here’s a recap of key awards delivered this morning:
SMALL BUSINESS AWARD
The Chamber’s Small Business of the Year Award recipient is Watermark Brewing Company. Watermark Brewing’s partners, Chris Mason, Justin Schaul, and David Cockell opened in July 2016 in downtown Stevensville.
Their business planning and home brewing started several years before their launch when the trio realized they might have the makings of a successful business.
The next step in making their now-thriving business a reality was in finding the right location. Nearly six months later, they were breaking ground in downtown Stevensville, and, it was during that time that the three partners decided to move into a house right next to the construction site. They quickly became part of the building process, making sure construction costs didn’t exceed budgets, ordering equipment and staying on top of the many challenges entrepreneurs face when launching a small business.
To minimize construction expenses, the three soon-to-be brewery owners went to work on the structure’s interior, not including the walls and roof.
They discovered some challenges with their brewing equipment and soon realized during their inaugural brewing, the system was defective and found no relief from their supplier. After the launch of Watermark Brewing Company, they realized they were unable to make “hoppy” beers and were perplexed as to why. After extensive research, the partners used an innovative approach and essentially boiled the beer, an unprecedented methodology in brewing, and one that they are using today to brew their many craft beers and ciders.
Since opening their doors in the summer of 2016, Watermark Brewing has retained 100-percent of their staff, and will tell you they attribute their success to hard-work, a conflict-free partnership, the ability to improvise, to quickly respond to adversity and a true appreciation for the support of the community.
YOUNG BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD
This year’s recipient of the Young Business Leader of the Year Award is Lauren Kniebes, co-owner of Lazy Ballerina Winery. Lauren has been involved in the Michigan Wine Industry for more than ten years. She has her Bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University in Sales and Business Marketing, and is the co-Founder/Owner of Lazy Ballerina Winery in St. Joseph which opened as the only woman-owned-and-operated winery in Southwest Michigan in 2015. In the past year, Lazy Ballerina opened a second tasting room in downtown Bridgman.
Lauren serves on the Executive Committee for the Cornerstone Chamber Young Professionals, the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail Marketing/Advertising Committee, and the Advisory Committee for the Lake Michigan College Wine & Viticulture Technology Program. She is the founder of a new local women’s networking group, Women Among Women, focused on bringing local women in the community together to empower and inspire one another to set and achieve goals and overcome everyday adversities.
EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD
The Chamber’s Excellence in Customer Service Award winner for this year is Combined Insurance Agencies.
Insurance can be complicated and confusing but a necessary part of our lives. Bob Beemer, Bruce Owen, and the entire Combined Insurance Agencies team take their responsibility seriously and know the importance of their knowledge in providing the best coverage for their customer’s needs.
The Combined Insurance Agencies agents have a combined total of 104 years of service. Combined Insurance Agencies received four nominations for the Excellence in Customer Service Award this year. They are passionate about insurance and that shows in their relationships and customer service with their clients.
ECONOMIC IMPACT AWARD
Lakeland Health has been presented the Chamber’s Economic Impact Award.
As a non-profit, community-owned organization, Lakeland commits to exemplary stewardship of community resources. They plan carefully for the healthcare needs of the community and look ten to twenty years into the future when assessing what will be necessary to remain as healthy as possible and enjoy a good quality of life.
In the last ten years, with the community’s support, Lakeland Health has brought many needed services to the Michiana area including da Vinci robotic surgery, the Lookout Point apartment complex, the Merlin and Carolyn Hanson Hospice Center, Pine Ridge: A Nursing and Rehabilitation facility, and the Marie Yeager Cancer Center.
In October 2016, Lakeland broke ground on the new Lakeland Medical Center Pavilion with expected completion in 2020. The Pavilion is a mission-critical project that will focus on high-tech modernization and exceptional patient experiences. The facility will help recruit next-generation physicians and surgeons, keep patients close to home and continue to save more lives.
In fiscal year 2017, Lakeland Health awarded $254,726 to ten organizations on behalf of the Lakeland Health Community Wellness Endowment, established in 2014 to help sponsor local nonprofit organizations that promote community health. To date, the endowment has awarded more than $500,000.
2017 AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR
The Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Year is Nancy McDonnall.
Nancy is owner of NMAC Marketing and co-owner of Be Our Guest. She has been a Cornerstone Chamber Ambassador since 2006 when she won Ambassador of the Year for the very first time. Since then she’s continued to serve on the Chamber’s Marketing Committee, The Nominating and Chamber Events Committees and various other ad hoc committees. Nancy attends most Chamber events including Business After Hours, volunteering at the annual Steak Fry, the Fall Trade Fair, and of course the Business Recognition Breakfast.
Nancy encompasses all things Chamber while greeting members at the many events with a friendly smile and advocating for community members and local business. It’s little wonder her peers voted her to be the 2017 Ambassador of the year, for her congoing contributions to the Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce.
THE PAT MOODY AWARD
The recipient of the prestigious Pat Moody Award is Krueggel Lawton CPAs.
Kruggel Lawton is a relatively new name to southwest Michigan, but local CPA partners Dave Schaffer and Mike Layher have been serving the community for more than 20 years. In 2015, the firm of Schaffer & Layher joined Kruggel Lawton CPAs. That firm is committed to the people, families, and business owners of Michigan’s Great Southwest through their support of area organizations, schools, and other events.
Kruggel Lawton CPAs has been a sponsor of the City of St. Joseph’s 4th of July fireworks show, drawing thousands to see the sky light up over Lake Michigan. The firm has been a significant contributor to the Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff and has enlisted their staff to volunteer for one of the busiest summer weekends in the area.
Integrity and excellence are two of the firm’s core values. When working with their clients, these values are evident when making financial or tax planning decisions. Customer service is a top priority at Kruggel Lawton. The entire team is accessible and always responsive to the needs of their clients.
To learn more about the Chamber awards, all of this year’s nominee and award recipient information will be made available at www.cornerstonechamber.com.
