UNOH Professor's Business Honored by U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Posted on Friday, October 21, 2022
Dream Big Awards Ceremony in Washington D.C.
A University of Northwestern Ohio professor’s small business was honored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as part of its annual Dream Big awards program. The awards celebrate the achievements of small businesses and honors their contributions to America’s economic growth.
Assistant Professor Jennifer Brogee is one of the owners of The Meeting Place on Market, a small business with the mission to connect people through expertly crafted coffee, food, and unique gifts. The Meeting Place on Market was one of more than 3,000 applicants and they were selected as one of the only 27 finalists.
"We were so surprised when we received the notification that we were a finalist that I emailed the Lima Chamber to make sure it was real,” said Brogee. “They assured that yes, it was, and then we really got excited about making it to the list of finalists!"
The finalists included some of the most innovative, diverse, and successful small businesses from across the country. They range from a pet store and dog wash in Texas to a trophy shop in Washington, and from a gourmet hot dog restaurant in Buffalo to a honeybee farm in Kentucky. After several rounds of judging, one finalist is chosen as the Small Business of the Year Award and receives a cash prize.
“This year’s finalists show that through ongoing challenges, the creativity and can-do attitude of small business owners and entrepreneurs is stronger than ever,” said Tom Sullivan, Vice President of Small Business Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is committed to supporting America's small businesses and their ability to grow, innovate and drive our economy. We are proud to host the Dream Big Awards and celebrate the very best in American small business."
Brogee said being named a finalist is a testament to the team of employees and supporters that work together to create a successful small business.
“The Meeting Place could not have made it to this level in the competition without the dedication and creativity of our team of employees. They worked through difficult conditions during the pandemic to transform our small coffee shop into a growing, competitive, ecommerce gifting retailer and coworking solution" she said.
The Dream Big Awards program includes eight different Business Achievement Awards to recognize the excellence of leading businesses in each of the following categories: community support and leadership, emerging, green/sustainable, minority-owned, LGBTQ-owned, veteran-owned, woman-owned, and young entrepreneur. The Meeting Place on Market was a finalist in the Women-Owned Business category along with three others, Semen and Embryo Advanced Reproductive Technologies (SMART) LLC from Jonesboro, Arkansas, The Pad Climbing, out of San Luis Obispo, California, and We Crush Events from Los Angeles, California.
About CO— by U.S. Chamber of Commerce
CO— is an editorial website with a mission to serve growing businesses across the U.S. Launched in 2019 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, CO— publishes content that helps solve the problems business owners face every day. Our team is based in New York City and is made up of digital media and publishing professionals who are deeply committed to building a vibrant entrepreneurial community and helping business owners thrive.
About U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations.
They all share one thing: They count on the U.S. Chamber to be their voice in Washington, across the country, and around the world. For more than 100 years, we have advocated for pro-business policies that help businesses create jobs and grow our economy.
Category: Campus & Community, Business, Health, and Occupational Professions
Keywords: Jennifer Brogee, Chamber of Commerce, Meeting Place on Market
