Three local businesses may fall into the small category but their impact is big in Lima and Allen County.
24 hours a day, Swartz Contracting and Emergency Services is ready to help when the unexpected happens. The company was started in 1987 by Paul and Carol Swartz as a means to support their family, now provides jobs for 24 employees and more could be coming as they look at doubling the size of their business in the next few years. In 2001, Swartz Contracting's focus switched building homes to commercial remodeling and insurance restoration. Swartz also supports numerous community projects and because the nature of their business they sponsor a continuing education course for firefighters and insurance agents. They use customer feedback as a way to better themselves as they strive to be the best in their field.
Unity, empowerment, and teamwork. That is the mission statement for the Vanamatic Company. For the past 64 years, the company has experienced steady growth, starting in 1954 with a 6,000 square foot building with six employees, to now as with an 80 thousand square foot, state of the art manufacturing facility, and nearly 100 employees. Vanamatic is proud of the fact that they have never had to lay off anyone since they started. The company has developed a strong relationship with vocational institutions and universities to help ensure and advance future programming for the industry and to assist their students gaining valuable experience. Vanamatic believes that employees, customers, suppliers, and community are the most important to their growth and taking care of them will lead to success.
It was the need to evolve, that made Barry Electronics the business it is today. After being laid off in the late 70s, Dave Barry put his electrician skills by working on and repairing various electrical items, then Bluffton Aire was born when he started he started specializing in air compressors. But then big box stores moved in and that market started to shrink, so the company started looking at electronics, and the business hasn't look back. Barry Electronics stays on top of the rapidly growing electronics market for your home and your car, as they are constantly remodeling their store to reflect the newest trends. Through the technology, Barry Electronics has found a way to give back by hosting a video game tournaments for the past 11 years that raised money for the Veteran's Hospital, Safety City, the Boy Scouts and local fire and police department programs. Their mission is to better their customer's lives, by integrating technology into it.
Those are the nominees for the Small Business Award.
