THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 10, 1996 TAG: 9606080491
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
LENGTH: 38 lines
AT&T, Motorola and Ford won't be at the Waterside Marriott Friday when the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center pick their Small Business of the Year Quality Award winner.
But those corporate big shots started at the same place as these small businesses - with an idea and a sketchy plan of how to make it happen. And a willingness to take a risk.
You might call this small business prize the local Baldridge awards. Already, there are five winners, one from each city in South Hampton Roads.
They are Management Systems Applications Inc., a Chesapeake computer services company; UnderCover, a Norfolk company that custom-makes furniture slipcovers; Parker Services Inc., a Portsmouth heating and cooling installation and service company; Chorley & Associates Realty, Ltd., a Suffolk real estate sales and appraisal company, and Golden Slippers Dance Academy in Virginia Beach.
Being selected was no small task. Economic development departments in each of the cities nominated up-and-comers and the chamber selected a ``Rising 25.'' The winners were picked from that field.
The awards, coming on the heels of Small Business Week last week, seek to emphasize the importance of the country's 22 million small businesses. One of these five companies will win the regional award and compete for honors at the state and national levels.
But all these companies have already ``won'' something that many small businesses don't - they've found a niche among scores of competitors and they've succeeded. MEMO: [Related stories on pages 10 and 11.]
KEYWORDS: SMALL BUSINESS by CNB