Payson Roundup | Payson, AZ

Learn who will be named this year’s Business Person of the Year Nov. 13 at the 2012 Rim Country Business Awards luncheon at the First Church of the Nazarene.  

Judging for the sixth annual event recently wrapped up, with winners in several categories selected.

Local business officials judged nominated businesses/organizations on overall excellence. The judging was very competitive, with all nominees providing extensive background information, said John Stanton with the Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

Finalists in each category are as follows:

Large business (More than 10 full-time employees)

Chapman Auto Center 

Home Depot 

Hospice Compassus

Small business (Up to nine full-time employees)

Mattress Experts 

Messinger Payson Funeral Home 

Payson Farmers Market

Non-profit

Payson Senior Center 

Pine-Strawberry Fuel Reduction Committee

Tonto Rim Search and Rescue

Winners of the Jim Young Business Person of the Year, Pat Willis Business Excellence Award, Community Service Award, as well as a new 2012 Award for Lifetime Achievement will be announced at the luncheon. 

Individual tickets are $25 and a table of seven is $175. Tickets go on sale Oct. 13 at the Chamber. To reserve a table and choose your location, call (928) 474-4515 early.

The Presidential Sponsors for the business awards are Kevin Dick Investment Management Group and Crabdree Insurance & Financial Services, Inc.  

The Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce, Northern Gila County Economic Development Corporation and the Town of Payson developed the business awards.

Nominees that didn’t make the final cut this year include Crosswinds Restaurant and Wells Fargo Bank in the large business category, Ayothaya Thai Café, Canal Senior & Green Valley Apartments, Gerardo’s Firewood Café, Gordon Research Institute, Oasis Christian Books & Gifts, Rancho Tonto Catch-A-Trout and Smart Systems, Inc. in the small business category.

For non-profits, nominees included Gila Community College, Payson Rodeo Committee, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Time Out, Inc. and Northern Gila County Historical Society.