The Greater Gainesville Chamber hosted its 2021 Business Awards on Wednesday night at the Curtis M. Phillips Center before a crowd of 300 representatives from the community’s best organizations and supporting citizens. Hosts Jason Hurst and Soly Schrack congratulated winners from a dozen categories following a cocktail hour celebration. VyStar Credit Union served as presenting sponsor for the event.

“The local businesses and entrepreneurs that we celebrate here today are just a small sample of those that make the Greater Gainesville region a great place to live, work, play and do business,” Hurst said. “These companies set a high bar for excellence in our community.”

Winners were chosen after a record number of applications were reviewed and scored by 30 unbiased judges, all Chamber members. Winners this year were:

Exactech – Tech Company of the Year
KidStrong – New Business of the Year
ReBuild Together – Small Nonprofit
Haven – Large Nonprofit
Infotech – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Arena Health & Wellness – Leading Women’s Business
Touching Hearts at Home – Small Business of the Year
Gainesville Health & Fitness – Large Business of the Year
Water & Air Research, Inc – Commitment to the Environment Award
PHOS Creative – Employer of the Year
Scorpio – Community Involvement Award

The event was the Chamber’s largest of 2021, following a hiatus on large-scale events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. White attire was worn to signify new beginnings and fresh starts.

Next up for the Chamber is the Annual Meeting Gala, slated for late January. Stay tuned to www.gainesvillechamber.com for more information.