Business Citizen of the Year award

The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the annual Business Citizen of the Year award.

The award will be presented at the Chamber's Annual Dinner, Nov. 3, at The Broadmoor.
Candidates must meet criteria in business stature, community involvement, cooperation and support and leadership.

Details and a downloadable nomination form can be found at www.coloradospringschamber.org. Call 575-4313 for more information.

From furniture to cars

Mike Demuth, president of the The Design Center of Colorado Springs for 10 years until it shut down its two locations in March, has returned to his hometown of Barlesville, Okla. to operate a Tallgrass Motors dealership. Tallgrass Motors is a family owned business started in 2005 by Craig and Sarah Demuth. Mike Demuth has spent the past 27 years in the retail furniture business -- starting at age 19 delivering furniture -- and said at the time of The Design Center's closure that "it’s time to try something new."

Speed Networking

The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce's first Speed Networking so successful- the organization is going to do it again from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at East Library, 5550 N. Union Blvd.

In speed networking, two circles of people stand facing each other and each person in the group has a few seconds to introduce his/her self and his/her company or profession to the person standing across from him/her. After the session expires one of the circle moves to the right and the process begins all over again. By the end of the session, everyone in one circle has met the people in the other circle.

It is a great opportunity to meet business people and promote your company, especially if you aren't the best at walking up to someone in a crowd., according to the chamber. The next Speed Networking is presented by the Chamber and Colorado Springs Young Professionals.

A lunch will follow at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $10 for speed networking and $3 express lunch (includes hot dog, chips and a soda). RSVP to http://cl.exct.net/?ffcb10-fe551c73726403787211-fdfc15787c65077b74157377-ff2e17797165.

Home Depot buys company with Springs roots

Edson Electric Supply Inc. , founded in Colorado Springs more than 40 years ago and now one of the largest independent electrical suppliers in the country, has been purchased by Home Depot for an undisclosed price. The deal is expected to become final later this month. Edson has 11 locations, all in Arizona. The chain sells general electrical supplies both to residential and commercial contractors. Sales revenue has grown from $50 million in 2000 to more than $137 million last year. William Edson started the company when he bought an electrical supply house in Colorado Springs, then expanded with stores in Denver and in Phoenix.The company sold its Colorado operations in the 1970s and since has focused exclusively on Arizona where it has 11 stores.

Local executives honored by America's Family

America's Family will present "Employer of Excellence" awards to six area business executives at noon on Tuesday as part of the America's Family Community Expo at Mr. Biggs Family Fun Center.

Jay Cimino of Phil Long Auto Dealerships, Howard Brooks of Pikes Peak United Way, Charles F. Emmer of Ent Federal Credit Union, Joe Johnson of McDonald's, Becky Kolb of Jan-Pro and Vicki Gramm of Bestway Disposal are all being recognized for their work in advancing the organization's goals of providing significant employee benefits for low-income workers.

America's Family is one of two finalists for a grant worth as much as $5 million from New Profit, an organization of social entrepreneurs, and America's Family founder and CEO Steve Bigari is a nominee for the Fast Company Social Capitalist Award for entrepreneurs who are "using the disciplines of the corporate world to tackle daunting social problems."