Chamber Recognizes Outstanding Businesses

(August 28, 2019. LINCOLN) – The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce recognized eight winners at the 2019 Celebrate Business Awards Luncheon Wednesday.  Each is listed with the Chamber’s description of why they were selected:

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – Changing Spaces SRS

Changing Spaces SRS is proud to be the premiere senior move management company in Lincoln. Since 2008, they have specialized in rightsizing and relocation services for seniors. They offer a full range of services designed to give clients peace of mind and caring assistance as they pursue a new home environment that better suits their needs.  Their mission is to provide clients with the quality consultation and management services, as well as the physical labor, needed to accomplish a transition that clients can feel good about.

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR – Garner Industries

Garner Industries is a diversified manufacturing company with a 66-year history as part of the Lincoln business community. The company started out in 1953 as a small tool and die company in the Havelock area serving local metropolitan businesses. In the early 1960’s, the company developed an automated grain bin level monitoring system, which evolved into the BinMaster line of level control technologies.  Today, Garner Industries employs more than 140 people in its manufacturing operations, owning a 115,000-

square-foot facility at the corner of 98th and Cornhusker Highway.

GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees with more than one million members, supporters and partners.  From their headquarters in Lincoln, they are in their fifth decade of inspiring people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees with more than 300 million trees planted and distributed thus far and with the scale to plant millions more around the world.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARD – MatMaCorp

MatMaCorp develops affordable, easy to use devices and systems for science, agriculture and medicine. A dedicated team of scientists, engineers and software developers create simple solutions for complex problems in areas ranging from food safety to genetic analysis.  The first set of products developed by MatMaCorp are geared towards making molecular biology diagnostic techniques accessible to anyone, anywhere and at any time. MatMaCorp has called Lincoln home since 2014 and

employs a team of 30 engineers, scientists and administrative staff.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AWARD – Lincoln Children’s Zoo In 1959, Arnott Folsom had a vision to create a family destination where thousands of children and adults could

interact with nature. With a donation from himself and his wife as well as the help from community leaders, Lincoln Children’s Zoo was founded. The zoo became a place where children could get up close to animals and surround themselves in scenic gardens.  Lincoln Children’s Zoo is rated among the nation’s best zoos for children by Parent Magazine. It is the third most attended arts and cultural attraction in Nebraska and one of the fastest growing zoos in the nation.

CORNERSTONE AWARD – Crete Carrier Corporation

Crete Carrier Corporation, along with Shaffer Trucking and Hunt Transportation, proudly serve the best companies in the world with their nationwide transportation and logistics services. They have over 6,200 associates spread across 48 states with 20 operating and maintenance facilities. Crete Carrier was founded in 1966 in Crete and relocated to Lincoln in 1972.  For the past two years, Crete Carrier is proud to have been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the Top Employers in the Country. They are proud to call Lincoln home and through the Acklie Charitable Foundation, supports many great projects and causes that make the community and state a better place for everyone.

ROGER T. LARSON COMMUNITY BUILDER AWARD – Chris Beutler

Chris Beutler was elected mayor in May 2007, re-elected in May 2011 and for a third term in May 2015. He is a native Nebraskan, who has devoted the majority of his life to serving the City of Lincoln and the people of Nebraska.  Beutler graduated in 1966 from Yale University. He is a veteran of the Armed Forces, serving in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971, rising to the rank of First Lieutenant. As a development consultant for the City of Lincoln, Beutler raised millions of dollars for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and played a key role in the renovation of Sunken Gardens.  During his legislative career in the Nebraska Legislature, Beutler advocated successfully for education finance changes that boosted state support of classroom teachers and reduced educational reliance of property taxes. He has been a champion for the environment and the Lincoln Haymarket Arena development, approved by voters in May 2010.

BURNHAM YATES CITIZENSHIP AWARD – JoAnn Martin

Ameritas Chair JoAnn Martin is a Plainview, Nebraska native with business degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Colorado State University. She joined Ameritas in 1984.  Martin was named the 2018 Woman of the Year at the annual Lincoln Journal Star Inspire Awards. She was inducted into the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame in 2015, named a Nebraska Alumni Association Master in 2014 and inducted into the UNL School of Accountancy Hall of Fame in 2004. She’s been recognized by the Nebraska Society of CPAs and the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development for her leadership and commitment to community service.  Martin serves as chair of the American Council of Life Insurers and is on the Lincoln Vision and Prosper Lincoln steering committees.