Bravo to Business Award Nominations

What is Bravo to Business?

Bravo to Business is an awards event that recognizes outstanding area organizations for the significant role they play in driving the community's business and economic growth.

To be considered for one of these awards, the organization must be setting standards for excellence and innovation with their business practices and community involvement.

Award applicants are narrowed down to three finalists in each category. The winners will be announced at the Bravo to Business awards cermony at The Florian Gardens Conference Center on Thursday, September 21, 2023.

How Do I Nominate a Business?

Any Chamber investor or non-investor can nominate a business for an award and a business may also nominate itself.

Awards will be given based on the following categories:

Small Business of the Year - Open to any Chamber investor business with less than 50 full-time employees
Business of the Year - Open to any Chamber investor business more than 50 full-time employees
Emerging Business of the Year - Open to any Chamber investor, OR non-investor business, that has been operating for 3 years or less
Resilient Business of the Year (NEW CATEGORY) - Open to all Chamber investor businesses
Young Professionals Best Place to Work - Open to all Chamber investor businesses with 5 or more full-time employees, that employ individuals that are members of Young Professionals of the Chippewa Valley (YPCV).

Nominations may be submitted starting Tuesday, June 6, 2023 and will be accepted through Friday, June 30, 2023.

Nomination Process

Any Chamber investor or non-investor can nominate a business for an award and a business may nominate itself.

For those businesses that are nominated, the following information will be considered in determining the award winner:

Business information and history.
Verification that the business has the correct full-time equivalent employees.
Significant business accomplishments within the past five years or longer.
Description of business growth within the past five years or longer.
Community involvement - Examples of how the business has brought positive and measureable change to the community in which it operates.

To nominate a business, or your own business, you will need to provide the following information:

Name of business.
Name, email address and phone number of the main contact of business.
The award category that the business is being nominated for.

Click Here to Nominate a Business

Award Criteria

Small Business of the Year

Award Criteria

Has 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees.
Must be a privately held, for-profit business/organization.
Must be a current Chamber investor business in good standing.
Has been in business in the Eau Claire Area community for a minimum of three years (since January 1, 2020).
Shows stablity or growth in sales, services and/or number of individuals served and/or expanded products and services.
Demonstrates a commitment to ethical business practices.
Demonstrates a commitment to employee support and development.
Demonstrates corporate citizenship and/or community leadership.

Any business that has won in a particular category is not eligible to win again in that particular category for five years.

Business of the Year

Award Criteria

Has more than 50 full-time equivalent employees.
Must be a privately held, for-profit business/organization.
Must be a current Chamber investor business in good standing.
Has been in business in the Eau Claire Area community for a minimum of three years (since January 1, 2020).
Shows stability or growth in sales, services and/or number of individuals served and/or expanded products and services.
Demonstrates a commitment to ethical business practices.
Demonstrates a commitment to employee support and development.
Demonstrates corporate citizenship and/or community leadership.

Any business that has won in a particular category is not eligible to win again in that particular category for five years.

Emerging Business of the Year

Award Criteria

Open to any Chamber investor OR non-investor.
Has 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees.
Must be a privately held, for-profit business/organization.
Been an established business in the Eau Claire community for less than 3 years (since January 1, 2020).
Demonstrates a high level of entrepreneurial spirit, leadership, perseverance, innovation, and determination.
Demonstrates a commitment to ethical business practices.
Demonstrates a commitment to employee support and development.
Demonstrates corporate citizenship and/or community leadership.

Any business that has won in a particular category is not eligible to win again in that particular category for five years.

Resilient Business of the Year (NEW category)

Award Criteria

Open to all Chamber investor businesses, non-profit and for-profit.
Must be a current Chamber investor business in good standing.
Has been in business in the Eau Claire community for a minimum of three years (since January 1, 2020).
Demonstrates a commitment to ethical business practices.
Demonstrates a commitment to employee support and development.
Demonstrates new and innovative ways to adapt and respond to business disruptions while maintaining continuous business operations.

Young Professionals Best Place to Work

Award Criteria

Business employs young professionals who are defined as individuals under the age of 41 years old.
Business must employ a minimum of 5 employees.
Open to all businesses, including non-profit and for-profit.
Organization supports & demonstrates total Young Professional development.
Has been in business in the Eau Claire Area community for a minimum of three years (since January 1, 2020)
Must be a current Chamber investor in good standing.

Any business that has won in a particular category is not eligible to win again in that particular category for five years.

2022 Bravo to Business Award Winners

At the 2022 Bravo to Business Awards event that was held on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, the businesses pictured below were presented with awards in their nominated categories.

2022 Bravo to Business Small Business of the Year Award Winner - ReforMedicine, S.C.

2022 Bravo to Business Business of the Year Award Winner - Huebsch Services

2022 Bravo to Business Emerging Business of the Year Award Winner - Valley Sports Academy

2022 Bravo to Business Young Professionals Best Place to Work Award Winner - Royal Credit Union

2021 Bravo to Business Award Winners

At the 2021 Bravo to Business Awards event that was held on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, the businesses pictured below were presented with awards in their nominated categories.