For Immediate Release – March 5, 2024

Contact:
Brian Otten, Marketing Director
Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce
715-848-5947 | botten@wausauchamber.com

2024 Small Business of the Year Award finalists named

WAUSAU — The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists of the 2024 Small Business of the Year Awards. Eight businesses and organizations have been named as finalists for the awards.

The Small Business of the Year Award recognizes business growth, community involvement and innovative efforts in the Wausau region and is a part of the Chamber’s annual Business Month. The recipients of this year’s award will be named at the 2024 Small Business of the Year Awards event to be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Rib Mountain. The cost for attending this program is $45.

Melissa Langbehn and Erik Mrotek of WAOW Newsline 9 will serve as the emcees for the event.

The finalists in each of the categories are:

Business-to-Consumer Award Finalists: Health In Motion - Wausau, Kreger's Bakery, Restlawn Memorial Park LLC, The Unglitch and Van Ert Electric Company Inc - Wausau

Charitable Non-Profit Award Finalists: Christmas in July Charity, Habitat for Humanity of Wausau - ReStore and Healthfirst Network Inc

Each of this year’s finalists will be interviewed this month, with the videos available on the Chamber’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The recipients of the 2023 Small Business of the Year Awards were Patriot Auto Repair in the Business-to-Consumer category and the Never Forgotten Honor Flight in the Charitable Non-Profit category.

"It was a great honor for our team to have been nominated, and selected for this award.” said Jim Pinsonneault, owner of Patriot Auto Repair.

“We were honored to receive this award. It represents a ton of effort from a lot of people.” said Ken Moberg, President of the Board of Directors of the Never Forgotten Honor Flight.

The Chamber’s Business Month will kick off with a Civics Bee to be held at the Center for Civic Engagement on the UWSP at Wausau campus at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2. This free event will feature the region’s students as they compete for cash prizes and an opportunity to advance to the statewide competition.

Thousands will assemble on Thursday, April 18 at the Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center in Rothschild for Business EXPO 2024. The Business EXPO is the largest Chamber trade show in the nation and will feature hundreds of exhibitors. The EXPO features an exhibitor-to-exhibitor time from 9 a.m. to noon, before opening to the public from noon to 5 p.m. Admission to the event is free with a business card or $10.

The EXPO will be followed by the Fun@EXPO networking event from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center in Rothschild. Fun@EXPO is the region’s largest business networking event of the year, offering a unique opportunity to build new relationships and strengthen existing ones. Food and beverages at the event will be supplied by numerous Chamber member restaurants, caterers, distributors and breweries. Cost is $20 at the EXPO or at the door.

The sponsors for the 2024 Business Month are The Dirks Group at the platinum level, Ho-Chunk Gaming – Wittenberg, Northwest Tool & Manufacturing Co., Inc., Rhyme - Wausau, Ruder Ware LLSC and Wausau Smiles Dental LLC at the gold level, and American Family Insurance – David J. Cooper Agency Inc, REI Engineering Inc, TDS Telecom – Wausau and Yach’s Body & Custom Inc at the silver level. Media sponsors for the week include Midwest Communications – WDEZ/WIFC/JACK FM/WSAU/The Game, The Business News and WAOW Newsline 9. The EXPO sign sponsor is Graphic House Inc and the printed program and map sponsor is RotoGraphic Printing Inc.

For more information on the 2024 Small Business of the Year Awards, including a list of past recipients, or to register for any Business Month events, visit WausauChamber.com.

Photos by Portraits by Tiffany

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The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce is the source for business information in the Wausau Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). We strengthen member businesses and enhance the region by building business success. For more information on the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce, visit us online at www.wausauchamber.com or call 715-845-6231.