It would be hard to find a place with a stronger tradition of community involvement than the Shenandoah Valley. Small business owners here give more than money to local causes. They give generously of their time and talent, which is why the Valley is known as a hot bed of innovative community programs.

 

The United States Chamber of Commerce has named Fine Earth, LLC of Harrisonburg, Virginia as the 2009 winner of the Chamber’s Community Excellence Award .

 

The most impressive thing about this award is that it isn’t given on the basis of size. Community support here in the Valley for Fine Earth’s nomination was so strong that in open balloting we carried the day over fifty-five other communities of every size all over America!

 

In March Fine Earth was named one of this year’s Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winners. The fifty-five businesses receiving this award are an elite group. The 2009 Blue Ribbon winners were chosen from among a record number of nominees. They were judged America’s best according to traditional standards of business excellence.

 

Winners of the Blue Ribbon Small Business Award represent the country’s finest business success stories”, said Thomas J. Donahue, the U.S. Chamber’s president and CEO. “In today’s business climate, it is especially important to highlight those companies that continue to excel. It is their dedication to sound business principles that will enable us to rebuild our nation’s economy.”

 

The Chamber of Commerce then examined each Blue Ribbon Award Winner to consider just three things: Employee Relations, Customer Relations and Community Involvement. Many successful businesses have loyal employees and customers. Very few can show the history of community involvement Fine Earth has shown.

 

Simply stated, when a business manages to stand out for its devotion to community here in the Valley it means something. People notice. In the case of Fine Earth, a thousand local folks took the trouble to make their choice known and win this award for one of their own.

 

Chad Layman, Owner of Fine Earth LLC,  is a valley native who serves as a role model for a new generation.