The Celebrating Small Business Award & Luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Fort Collins Marriott, 350 E Horsetooth., Fort Collins, Colo. on May 21, 2104.  The Small Business of the Year Awards are underwritten by First National Bank, Ward Petroleum Corporation, Guaranty Bank and Trust Company, Bank of the West, JAX Mercantile, The Marketing Department and AlphaGraphics.

Community members are encouraged to nominate area businesses for the awards which will be given to three companies:  1-10 employees, 11-50 employees and 51-200 employees.  For this award, a small business is defined as an independently owned and operated business headquartered in northern Colorado that is organized for profit.  The business is required to have 200 employees or fewer to be eligible.   Nomination forms are available at www.FortCollinsChamber.com.

To receive a Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award, the company must be a member of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce at the time the award is presented and have been in business three years.  Businesses will be judged on:  community involvement and stewardship, commitment to good business practices, overall business growth and innovation and workplace culture and employee relations. 

About 350 business professionals and community leaders are expected at the Small Business of the Year luncheon. Individual ticket prices are $40 per person for Chamber members and $50 per person for non-members.  A table of 10 people is $350.   Registration is available at www.FortCollinsChamber.com or by calling the Chamber at (970) 482-3746.   Sponsorship opportunities for the event are also available by contacting the Chamber at (970) 482-3746.