The Better Business Bureau serving North Central Texas announced at the Wichita Falls Country Club, before a capacity crowd of area business, civic, education, military and organizational leaders, four winners of the 2010 Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Excellence. Aspermont Pharmacy, Waters Ag Storage Containers, Bruckner Truck Sales and Hospice of Wichita Falls were named winners. Those selected as winners demonstrated their superior commitment to exceptional standards that benefit their customers, suppliers, employees, and surrounding community. The winning companies were chosen from the following three categories; small (1-4 employees), medium (5 - 19 employees), large (20+ employees) and Non-Profit (501c(3)). Accepting for the winners were as follows: Lee Ann Hagins – Aspermont Pharmacy, Cary Waters – Waters Ag and Storage Containers, John Deason – Bruckner’s Truck Sales and Alisa Echols, RN representing Hospice of Wichita Falls.
Nominees came from several North Texas towns, with the finalists representing Aspermont, Bowie, Graham, Iowa Park and Wichita Falls. The finalists in the Small Category were Aspermont Pharmacy, Digital Deviance, Happy Hearts Preschool, Mystic Floral, Ria’s Floral, Schreiber Upper Extremity Rehab, P.C. and Upscale Resale. The finalists in the Medium Category were Bobby Bounds Excavation, German AutoKraft II, Warrior’s Way Martial Arts Academy and Waters Ag Storage Containers, Inc. The Large Category finalists included Bruckner Truck Sales, Kalco Machine & Manufacturing Co, Ray Cannedy Security & Investigations and United Supermarkets in Graham. An independent panel of judges from the business and academic community evaluated the entries submitted by the nominees and selected the winner in each size category.
This award recognizes businesses and organizations that maintain a culture that consistently sets exceptionally high standards of behavior in buyer and seller as well as client and donor relationships. “All the finalists deserve our praise and recognition for continually fulfilling their obligation to the marketplace to do what is right and what is fair,” said Monica Horton, President of the Better Business Bureau serving 16 counties in North Central Texas. “Ethical business practices are a win-win for everyone. These companies and organizations ensure that our marketplace and community remains trustworthy. By awarding the winners the 2010 Torch Award for Marketplace Excellence, we are demonstrating to the business community that adhering to Better Business Bureau standards for trust is the hallmark of successful, competitive companies,” stated Horton.
Presentations were made during this special ceremony and luncheon today at the Wichita Falls Country Club. Serving as emcee was Dr. Jeffrey Stambaugh, Assistant Professor of Management and Director of the Munir Abdul Lalani Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise, Dillard College of Business Administration, Midwestern State University.
Chaplain Colonel Richard M. Hartwell from Sheppard Air Force Base gave this year’s invocation.
Mayor Lanham Lyne read a proclamation from the city recognizing the achievements of the Better Business Bureau and proclaimed Tuesday, January 19, 2010 Marketplace Excellence Day in Wichita Falls.
The introduction of the BBB/Louis J. Rodriguez Ethics Scholarship recipients was also another highlight of the luncheon. This scholarship, which recognizes students with exemplary ethics in the Dillard College of Business, was established in November 1999 by the Better Business Bureau Education Foundation. The recipients for the academic year 2009-2010 are Devah Carter, Charles Logan and Rosella Salinas.
Devah Carter is a Senior Marketing major with a 4.0 GPA. In addition to working full time, Ms. Carter has served as a Loaned Executive and Team Leader to the United Way for the past two years. Ms. Carter is a member of Delta Mu Delta. In the spring of 2009, Ms. Carter was awarded the Perot Systems Scholarship and was selected to attend the International Summer School in Erfurt, Germany this past fall.
Charles Logan was born in Wichita Falls. His mother is a nurse at United Regional Health Care System and his stepfather is the head basketball coach at Wichita Falls High School. Charles attended Wichita Falls High School where he was on the varsity basketball team for two years. Charles was also in the PALS program (Peer Assistance and Leadership) for two years. From elementary school through high school, Charles had perfect attendance. Charles is in his third year at MSU where he is a junior. Charles plays on the MSU basketball team and is majoring in Sports and Fitness Management. After school, Charles plans on being a real estate agent.
Rosella Salinas transferred to MSU in January 2008 after completing her Associates Degree in Science at Vernon College. Rosella is a full-time student taking 15 hours a semester, and she has maintained a 3.7 GPA. She is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and plans to graduate this May. Rosella is a member of the Accounting Society and a brother of Delta Sigma Pi, the business fraternity at MSU. She was the fundraising chair for her pledge class during the fall 2008 semester, and she has also assisted other officers in planning and organizing events. She works 10-15 hours per week at On the Border in addition to 20 hours per week as an intern at Freemon, Shapard and Story. Besides the various community service projects with Delta Sigma Pi, she also helped at the spring 2008 Special Olympics where she handed out medals to the participants for all the track events. When she is not at school or work, she likes to spend time with family, go to church, read, and cook.
2010 Small Business Category Winner
Lee Ann Hagins opened Aspermont Pharmacy in 2002 to fill the void left after the only pharmacy in Aspermont closed in 2000. Before the Aspermont Pharmacy opened, residents had to drive 60 miles round trip to get to the nearest pharmacy. Lee Ann had worked as the pharmacy manager for Wal-Mart in Pampa, Texas for over 13 years when she realized the need for a pharmacy that Aspermont could call its own. Lee Ann has one Pharmacy Technician that helps her with the day-to-day work. The Aspermont Pharmacy believes strongly in giving back to the community, and Lee Ann makes great strides to be involved in the community through school programs, health fairs and the local nursing home to name a few. One of the foundations of the Aspermont Pharmacy is that the patients are not customers; they are part of the family.
2010 Medium Business Category Winner
Waters Ag Storage Containers was started in 1990 by the father/son team of Bear and Cary Waters. Since then, they have grown the business from one pickup truck and trailer to two tractor-trailers, 6 full-time employees and 2 part time employees. Waters Ag uses a quote from Sam Walton to guide their treatment of their customers. “The customer is the most important person in any business- he can fire everybody from the CEO on down by simply spending his money somewhere else.” This shows the importance that Waters Ag puts on treating customers with respect and honesty. Waters Ag is very focused on giving to different ministries and charities throughout the area such as the Relay for Life and Horizon Communities which is a prison ministry. Many more organizations are supported by Waters Ag as well. Waters Ag shows appreciation to customers and vendors by holding a fish fry every year as a way of saying “thank you” and giving back to those who have helped them get to where they are.
2010 Large Business Category Winner
Bruckner’s was established in 1932 in Amarillo, Texas by Ben Bruckner. Bruckner’s was founded upon the belief that ethical practices should be represented from the top of the organization first. John Deason is the General Manager of the local Bruckner’s location, and he is carrying out the mission started by Ben Bruckner over 75 years ago. The core values of Bruckner’s include acting with honesty and integrity, valuing people and communities, being customer focused, and doing what it takes. The list of organizations that Bruckner’s makes donations is very extensive including support to the Shriners, Kiwanis, American Cancer Society, Boy Scouts and many, many more. Bruckner’s also receives many awards for excellence from their vendors such as Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks.
2010 Non-Profit Category Winner
Hospice of Wichita Falls was established in 1985. The current CEO for Hospice is Alisa Echols, RN. Hospice began with a mission to serve all who are terminally ill regardless of whether they have the ability to pay or not. The organization was started with one employee and one patient. 24 years later, Hospice has over 240 volunteers and almost 160 staff. Over the last 24 years Hospice has served 9,500 patients and more than 25,000 family members. The main goal for Hospice is for each patient to be comfortable, put their affairs in order, and say “I love you” to each significant person in their lives, so they may die with dignity and peace.