ALLEN COUNTY, OH (WLIO) - Tonight we take a look at the Woman-Owned Business of the Year Award sponsored by Huntington National Bank. Those nominated are:
Kimberly Duff is the owner of Duffy's Cleaner Inc. on Shawnee Road. She opened the store with her husband in 1998 as a family business that would serve the community. They work with non-profit organizations such as the Kiwanis Club's Diva's Den, cleaning and mending dresses. Duff has grown the business by adding agent drop-off locations for customer convenience. Duffy's has served the community now for 26 years and is looking toward many more years.
She got her real estate license at the age of 22 and has been selling ever since. Krista Schrader opened Schrader Realty in 2009 in Delphos and now has several branch offices with 14 realtors, 11 of them women. Schrader says one of the core values of the company is community involvement, leading them to create a program called "Schrader Shares." They also give back by providing scholarships to area students.
Sign Pro Imaging has been in Lima for 27 years, providing signage for both clients and non-profit organizations. Owner Michelle Sterling says they have just had their best year ever, even getting a client from Australia. She says they continue to grow by being creative, identifying and filling needs with strong customer service. Sterling says she has made the company a one-stop shop for businesses to get all of their promotional needs under one roof.Â
The winner will be announced at the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce's Gala Event on May 1st at the UNOH Event Center.
