Chroma, Dealer, Foley are finalists for Deane C Davis Award

This yearâ s competition for the highly anticipated Deane C Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award was impressive. There were a record 25 companies nominated and 16 companies considered for the award this year. All of the Vermont businesses who applied for this prestigious award were worthy, but only three could be named as finalists.The finalists this year are Chroma Technology of Bellows Falls, Dealer.com of Burlington and The Foley Family of Companies of Rutland. All three businesses exemplify the standards by which the Deane C Davis Outstanding Business Award nominees are judged.
One of these impressive finalists will be named the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Vermont Business of the Year on Wednesday, May 23. The award presentation ceremony will kick off the 28th annual Vermont Chamber Business & Industry EXPO, organized by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Governor Peter Shumlin will present the award at 10 am in the foyer of the Sheraton Burlington Conference Center. Until that time, one of the most important traditions of the award will remain intact; the winnerâ s identity is kept secret, even from the finalists, until the moment the award is presented.
This yearâ s finalists exemplify the resourcefulness, innovation and success that radiates from all corners of the state capturing the essence of Vermont business. All share in common a dedication to their employees, communities and Vermontâ s natural environment. However, each tells a unique story of vision, commitment and growth.
Chroma Technology Chroma Technology Corp. was founded in an incubator space in Brattleboro in 1991 with six employees. Today they inhabit a plant built in 2003 located in Bellows Falls. Chroma has 96 employees; 94 employees work at the Bellows Falls location and two employees work in sales offices in Raleigh, North Carolina and Corvallis, Oregon. In addition they have two person sales offices outside of Munich, Germany and in Xiamen, China.
Dealer.comis headquartered in Burlington, Vermont, with offices in Manhattan Beach, California. Dealer.com team members are also located throughout the United States and Canada to serve dealerships in the field. The Dealer.com culture is one that emphasizes responsibility for the well-being of their employees and the health of the environment. Their 135,000 square foot headquarters in Burlington, VT is a revitalized building certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating Systemâ ¢.
The Foley Family of Companiesstarted in 1879, when Michael Foley purchased Goodwinâ s Laundry in Rutland, Vermont. The business grew over generations and eventually became Foley Laundry, a business still in operation today. The Foley family used the small operation to launch new business ideas and in 1973, the Foley Family of Companies was created. Today, the thriving business owns and operates The Party Store, Pistols & Roses, Foley Services and Foley Distributing.
In an effort to recognize and honor Vermontâ s best companies, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Vermont Business Magazine created the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award in 1990. Named for the former Governor of Vermont, this annual award honors a Vermont business that shows an outstanding history of sustained growth while displaying an acute awareness of what makes Vermont unique. Commitment to the environment and dedication to employee relations are key components to receiving the award.
Join the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Vermont Business Magazine as we unveil this yearâ s award recipient at the Vermont Chamber Business & Industry EXPO on Wednesday, May 23 at 10 am during the Opening Ceremonies.
Vermont Business Magazine is the state's most respected business publication. Since 1972, VBM has published statewide business news, economic and political news and commentary, business and individual profiles, data, analysis and statistics.
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the largest state-wide private, not-for-profit business organization, represents nearly every sector of the state's corporate/hospitality community. Our mission is to create an economic climate conducive to business growth and the preservation of the Vermont quality of life.
Soruce: Vermont Business Magazine, Vermont Chamber of Commerce, April 13, 2012.