At the annual Business and Industry Awards Luncheon, A Salute to Business, hosted by the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and the Macon Economic Development Commission, awards were presented to the Startup of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Business of the Year and Outstanding Young Business Leader of the Year. Nearly 200 people attended the event.

The Startup of the Year Award was presented to Macon Bacon. When the Macon Braves left in 2002, many teams followed and quickly failed, and historic Luther Williams Field was left mostly empty for 16 years. Just when all hope was lost, Macon Bacon arrived on the scene. They finished their first year 10th out of 395 teams in attendance in their level of baseball and sold out half their games. In addition, they built partnerships with Bibb County Schools, Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Georgia, Major League Baseball PlayBall Clinic and Identification Tour, and Beverly Knight Olson’s Children’s Hospital. They brought baseball, fun, and a sense of community with them to Macon. President, Brandon Raphael accepted the award.

The Small Business of the Year Award was presented to SparClean Premier Cleaning Solutions. SparClean Premier Cleaning Solutions has been in business 6 years and currently has 12 employees. They offer cleaning services for Office Buildings, Municipal Buildings, Industrial Facilities, Healthcare Facilities, Schools, Churches, and more. They train their employees on industry standards, create growth opportunities within the company, and teach proven conflict resolution strategies and soft skills. They promise high-quality, reliable, and safe cleaning services every time. In addition, they support several local charities. Owner, Demetris Hill accepted the award.

The Business of the Year Award was presented to Scott’s Pharmacy. Scott’s Pharmacy has been a part of the Macon community since 1985. Scott’s Pharmacy has spent those 34 years investing in their employees with workforce development, team building, and retirement accounts; investing in community with commercial real estate investments, volunteering and donating to charities, schools, and civic organizations; and investing in the future of Macon through their training and support of Macon, Georgia, students. Scott’s Pharmacy has big goals. They plan to be more environmentally conscientious in 2020. In addition, they seek to become the leading pharmacy provider in the southeast region, while keeping their headquarters right here in Macon, Georgia, and continuing to be an exemplary corporate citizen. Owner, Bryan Scott accepted the award.

The Outstanding Young Business Leader was presented to Kaitlynn Kressin. Kaitlynn Kressin was born and raised in Macon, Georgia. She has a passion for helping the less fortunate and has invested a significant amount of time in helping the homeless. She is a Peyton Anderson Scholar, and won both the DAR Community Service Award and the Juanita Jordan Community Service Award. She spent five years with the College Hill Alliance specializing in community development. She is currently the Marketing Director for both Just Tap’d and Ocmulgee Brew Pub, both staples in the community. She is on the executive board of the Magnolia Soap Box Derby and Bragg Jam, and is also a board member for Loaves and Fishes Ministry. Kaitlynn is Vice President of the Downtown Macon Community Association, which brings downtown residents and businesses together to solve many urban issues in the area. She was named the 2016 NewTown Macon Emerging Leader. Kaitlynn has created many community events including Oktoberfest, Christmas on First Street and Art and Wine Festival. Kaitlynn’s largest event Just Tap’d Beer Festival offers free entertainment and is open to the community. In 2015, 500 people attended. This year, spring 2019, Kaitlynn brought over 5000 people downtown in one afternoon to attend the beer festival! Kaitlynn is always collaborating with other businesses and the city to bring more people downtown.

All nominees submitted information that was evaluated by a panel of judges. The nominees were ranked on criteria that included their economic impact in the community, the overall workplace environment and proven corporate citizenship, which includes charitable giving and employee volunteers working with charitable organizations.