The 29th Annual Small Business Awards were held this past Thursday night, September 4th at the Von Braun Center. This year’s “Get Your Groove On” theme was a throwback to the 70s as guests wore plaid shirts, afros, and bell bottoms and reminisced to the sounds of the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor and the like.
LEAN Frog President and Co-founder Byron Headrick (in his victory frog tie-dye t-shirt) accepted the award on behalf of the team as he walked down the carpet to Three Dog Night’s “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog.” He remarked “I’m truly humbled to accept this award, but the fact is this award really goes out to the people at table 54 and 55 (the LEAN Frog team members). Not only do we get to do what we love, but we get to help a lot of schools and students in Alabama and Tennessee doing it. That in and of itself is a reward enough for the team and me to keep doing what we’re doing, but this recognition means a lot.”
In addition to the Chamber award, LEAN Frog also received the prestigious “Excellence Is Not Optional” award from Alabama A&M University. As Dave Knowles, LEAN Frog Sales and Marketing Director pointed out, “Since so much of our work is in the area of public education, it was especially gratifying to receive this award from A&M.”
The Chamber’s Small Business Awards recognize individuals, businesses and organizations that make a positive impact on our economy, schools and community. A review panel conducts a blind review based on merit without knowledge of the names of the nominees. Nominated businesses are evaluated on Community Involvement, Financial Strength, Business Goals, Growth in Employment, Innovative Products or Services, Number of Years in Business and Challenges/Response to Adversity.
Headquartered in Huntsville, AL, LEAN Frog’s mission is to help public schools succeed through increasing the value they deliver to students, parents and communities while fully engaging employees, reducing costs, and building a spirit of continuous improvement. LEAN Frog has won numerous awards including the 2013 Small Business of the Year Award from the Madison City Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau of North Alabama’s 2013 Torch award for Marketplace Ethics for Small Businesses. President and Co-Founder Byron Headrick won the 2013 Excellence in Leadership & Service Award from the Madison City Chamber of Commerce.
