ExtraORdinary Awards
General Criteria
Award nominees either must be:
- Members of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce in good standing
- A viable, ongoing business which has maintained stability over its business tenure
- Willing to provide a reference to support your application
Award nominees may be either:
- Self-nominated
- Sponsor-nominated
Award nominees must be willing to provide a reference(s) and narratives to support the application process.
Previous award winners are not eligible for new awards until 3-years after last win.
Extraordinary Beautification
Oak Ridge Beautification Award
Chosen by Oak Ridge Chamber Housing Committee
This award recognizes the business which has significantly improved the appearance of its facility through renovation, landscaping, redecorating, etc.
- Non-residential properties ONLY
- Residential properties ARE NOT eligible
- Business offices/facilities must be visible to the public
- Visually enhances Oak Ridge community and/or surroundings
Extraordinary Business Excellence
Business Excellence – Small
Chosen by Oak Ridge Chamber Membership
50 or Fewer Employees
This award recognizes businesses that demonstrate overall stability, a positive public image, while setting an example of community service and enhancing the economic vitality of the community.
- Small Business of the Month Winners – Automatic Entries
- Nominees must have been in business for at least 2 years
- Nominees must be an independently owned business/franchise
- Nominee must have demonstrated one or more of the following characteristics:
- Revenue growth and/or job growth.
- Innovative products or services
- Positive community impact
- Encourages and provides professional development of staff
Business Excellence – Mid Size
Chosen by Oak Ridge Chamber Membership
51 to 200 Employees
This award recognizes businesses that demonstrate overall stability, a positive public image, while setting an example of community service and enhancing the economic vitality of the community.
- Nominees must have been in business for at least 2 years
- Nominees must be an independently owned business/franchise
- Nominee must have demonstrated one or more of the following characteristics:
- Revenue growth and/or job growth.
- Innovative products or services
- Positive community impact
- Encourages and provides professional development of staff
Business Excellence – Large
Chosen by Oak Ridge Chamber Membership
200 or More Employees
This award recognizes businesses that demonstrate overall stability, a positive public image, while setting an example of community service and enhancing the economic vitality of the community.
- Nominees must have been in business for at least 2 years
- Nominees must be an independently owned business/franchise
- Nominee must have demonstrated one or more of the following characteristics:
- Revenue growth and/or job growth.
- Innovative products or services
- Positive community impact
- Encourages and provides professional development of staff
Extraordinary Volunteerism
Kerry Trammel Award
Chosen by Chamber Board Chair
This award is named after the late Kerry Trammell who was an extraordinary volunteer who passed away suddenly in 2013. It recognizes an individual - of any age - who personifies the finest spirit of volunteerism by giving generously of themselves to improve the community's quality of life.
- Nominees may be of any age
- Nominees must be associated with a member of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce
- While nominations are encouraged from the Board, the final award selection is made by the Chairman of the Board for the year being recognized
- Past award winners are listed on the nomination form to prevent ineligible/duplicate nominations
- Past winners are not eligible for consideration
Ambassador of the Year Award
Chosen by Ambassador Leadership
The “Ambassador of the Year” is an individual who demonstrates a noticeable commitment to the community through involvement with local organizations that elevate the overall quality of life in the Oak Ridge community. While doing this…they ALSO serve as an Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Ambassador to assist with member retention and recruitment efforts. This group of young professionals serving in the following ways:
- Liaisons between the Chamber and its members for larger programmatic or strategic events
- Welcomes new members and engages with current ones
- Assists with event planning
- Attends events to "meet and greet"
Extraordinary Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneur of the Year
Chosen by Oak Ridge Chamber Membership
This award recognizes a person who is demonstrating innovativeness, originality, and a risk-taking spirit in the development of processes, products, or technologies. This person should demonstrate a vision for the future with these criteria.
- Nominees should be either the founder or current executive responsible for the day-to-day operations of a “For Profit” business
- Nominees should be in their leadership role for a minimum of 2 years
- Nominees should be chosen from a business that has also been in business for a minimum of 2 years
- Nominees should have already achieved tangible, and material entrepreneurial success evidenced by:
- Revenue Earned
- Jobs Created
- Operational Improvements
Extraordinary Community Impact
Community Impact Award – For Profit
Chosen by Oak Ridge Chamber Membership
This award recognizes the business which operates in a sound manner - and - is also known for making a profound impact on the greater Oak Ridge community. The impact must be above-and-beyond the impacts achieved by others by:
- Showing a commitment to the community outside of normal business practices
- Having a long-term desire to build diverse, inclusive, and balanced communities
- Displaying a clear commitment to social responsibility
- Being a demonstrated community leader
The business should have demonstrated a noteworthy innovation in the relevant year, such as development and implementation of a new product, service, process, or procedure, such as (but not limited to) a new approach to:
- Marketing
- Safety
- Energy efficiency
- Environmental
- Corporate citizenship
Community Impact Award – Non-Profit
Chosen by Oak Ridge Chamber Membership
This award recognizes a business that classifies as a “not-for-profit” organization. In the relevant year, the non-profit must have demonstrated resilience, creation, and delivery of impactful programs, with far-reaching impact to the clientele or community it serves.
- Nominee must be an active 501-C3 or other non-profit organization
- Nominee must have been in operation for at least 2 years
- Nominee must show their community impact and supported by performance data
- Nominee must show organizational excellence and responsibility to stakeholders
Extraordinary Legacy
Eugene Joyce Award
Chosen by Former Joyce Award Winners
This award acknowledges the person who exemplifies the values that distinguished Mr. Joyce during his lifetime of service to Oak Ridge, which are:
- Community service
- Professional achievement
- Dedication
- Leadership
- Exemplary personal values
Note: The award winner is not announced until the night of the annual award gala, and the award is presented during that time if the winner is present. If unable to attend, we set a later presentation date with them and ask them for an acceptance speech via video that is played at the event
75th Anniversary Service Award
Chosen by Chamber Based Historical Records
This award is for the longest continuous serving chamber memberships:
- Individual Memberships
- Organizational or Corporate Memberships
This award segment will also acknowledge Chamber of Commerce Leadership Excellence:
- Presidents/Chief Executive Officers
- Board Chairpersons
- Diamond Members
Extraordinary Promise
Our Promising Youth Award
Chosen by Youth Leadership Program
This award recognizes a group of promising youth who exemplify excellence in - one or more - of these dimensions:
- Outstanding community service
- Outstanding contribution of service on a school campus
- Outstanding youth project
- Outstanding youth leadership
- Outstanding youth success
