BY HANNAH LESTER
HLESTER@
OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
LEE COUNTY —
Over conversation, between sips of coffee and bites of biscuit, one local company was awarded the Opelika Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Quarter award.
“The award is our longest standing award dating back to 2005. Recipients must be active members in good standing with the chamber for at least two years, have fewer than 50 full-time employees, play an active part in the community and the chamber and have demonstrated excellence and tenacity through the continued success as a small business in our community,” Dr. Linda North said.
Austin Overton presented the award, which was sponsored by First Realty.
The award winner this quarter was Glynn Smith Chevrolet.
“The recipient is a staple business in the Opelika community as a locally and family owned business in the area for over 31 years through dedication to bettering the city of Opelika,” Overton said.
Glynn Smith sponsors local sport teams and organizations.
The business is also heavily involved in the chamber, Overton said.
This sentiment was echoed by President and CEO of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, Ali Rauch.
“When I say I really don’t know how Glynn Smith has not been awarded this award before, I mean, I dug through history and I was like, ‘They’re one of our biggest supporters,’” Rauch said.
MINORITY BUSINESS OF THE QUARTER AWARD
Following Glynn Smith’s award, the chamber awarded its Minority Business of the Quarter award, which is sponsored by Alabama Power.
“This award is our newest award and was initiated following the creation of our Minority Business Council in 2020,” North said. “Recipients of this award must be an active member in good standing with the Opelika Chamber, have fewer than 50 full-time employees, play an active part in the community and the chamber, have demonstrated perseverance and dedication through their continued success as a small business in our community, and business owners shall be of a minority status, whether by gender, nationality, ethnicity, etc.”
Rod Cater of Alabama Power presented the award to MAK Media.
“It’s truly a privilege for me to be able to introduce the Minority Business of the Quarter award,” Cater said. “… The recipient of this award is a business that began as a side hustle in 2017. It has now grown into a thriving, well-known business in our community.”
MAK Media can be found at www.facebook.com/MAKmediateam.