The Better Business Bureau serving southeast Tenessee and northwest Georgia, conducted its annual meeting on Friday. The purpose of the meeting is to recognize businesses with the BBB “Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics” and to award “Student of Integrity” scholarships.
Ross Bernstein, sports writer and motivational speaker, was the keynote presenter.
"Ross drew a parallel between professional sports and business that translate in enthusiasm, unselfishness, trust, respect, and accountability. A passion in business for what we respectively do on a daily basis, and being great teammates," officials said.
Businesses recognized for the 2017 BBB Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics are:
Category I Winner: Bob’s Brick Oven, Rock Springs, Ga.
Category I Honorable Mention: Flywheel Brands, Inc., Chattanooga
Category II Winner: Enviroguard Pest Solutions, Inc., Ringgold, Ga.
Category II Honorable Mention: Wilkerson Tile Company, Chattanooga
Category III Winner: Wilkins Research Services, LLC, Chattanooga
Category IV Winner: Miller Industries, Inc., Chattanooga
Category Non-Profit Winner: Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Chattanooga
Category Non-Profit Honorable Mention: Alexian Brothers Senior Ministries, Chattanooga
BBB achieved a milestone in its annual “Student of Integrity” scholarship competition surpassing $120,000. The program is now in its 13th year. This year scholarships with the value of $1,000 each were awarded to 10 students who competed by writing an essay on “the importance of ethics in business and our community”. The competition was available to all high schools seniors in the BBB service area of 21 surrounding counties in southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia. 143 students entered the competition this year.
The winners of the BBB 2017 “Student of Integrity” scholarships are:
Pressley Dawson, Marion County High School
Seth Drey, Marion County High School
Alexa Fults, Grundy County High School
Bradford, Gaskill, Signal Mountain High School
Haleigh Isanhart, Boyd Buchanan School
Obinna Ilozor, McCallie School
Rachel McNabb, Marion County High School
Isaac Overfield, Georgia Cumberland Academy
Katherine Philyaw, Signal Mountain High School
Mackenzie Wall, Chattanooga School for the Arts & Science
BBB President Jim Winsett said, “Individually, the business winners and the student winners are exemplary representatives of ethics and integrity in our marketplace.”