Dale Strong, Chairman of the Madison County Commission, will be featured speaker at the Madison Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Awards ceremony at The Jackson Center on Oct. 16. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Madison Chamber of Commerce has announced nominees for the 2014 Small Business Awards that honor the most progressive companies and individuals in greater Madison.

The Small Business Awards ceremony, presented by Redstone Federal Credit Union will be held Oct. 16 at The Jackson Center. Dale Strong, Chairman of the Madison County Commission, will be featured speaker.

“Small Business of the Year” nominees are Grogan Jewelers, Valpak of North Alabama, STI Electronics, Blue Pants Brewery, Dietrich Rentals, Children’s Theater of Madison, Durham Orthodontics, Best Western Plus, Madison Village Retirement Community, Rocket City HR, Ability Plus, Allstar Medical and Progress Bank.

Nominees for the “Start-Up of the Year” award are these businesses: Tea with Thee by Victoria, MindGear Labs, Last Resort Guns and Sady’s Bistro.

For the “Excellence in Leadership & Service” award, the nominees are Jay Klos, Grogan Jewelers; Tracy Gallimore, Crye-Leike Realtors; Rod Weaver; Cheryl Webb, Visiting Angels; Beth Martin, Progress Bank; and Clear Channel Communications.

Vying for “Community Servant of the Year” are Madison Police Department Chief Larry Muncey; Keith Bedsole, Ability Plus; Dr. Deborah Barnhardt, director of U.S. Space and Rocket Center; and Robby Parker, principal of Bob Jones High School.

The nominees for “Ambassador of the Year” are Zelda Lanza, Crye-Leike Realtors; Rod Weaver; Tracy Gallimore, Crye-Leike Realtors; Kimberly Hardee, IBERIA Bank; David Barrett, Barrett Insurance; Cheryl Webb, Visiting Angels; and Larissa Moore, Progress Bank.

Winners in 2013 were Catisfaction Cat Clinic, Dr. Stephanie Gandy, “Start-Up of the Year”; Byron Hedrick, LEAN Frog Business Solutions, “Excellence in Leadership & Service”; Sarah Sledge, branch manager of Madison Public Library, “Community Servant of the Year”; and Richard King and Kristen Strickland, “Ambassadors of the Year.”

For tickets and sponsorship information, call 256-325-8317, email to janice@madisonalchamber.com or visit madisonALchamber.com.