Two award winners announced expansion plans at the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce annual meeting, dinner and awards.
Elite Collegiate Apparel, which was named Small Business of the Year, plans to open a second location downtown, and the owner of Dairy Queen, which won the Outstanding Customer Service Award, plans to open an Indian restaurant behind his business.
Other award winners included Stacy Wenig Anderson as the 2024 Athena Award and Mark Remeis as the 2024 Zeus Award; Linda Lander as the female Outstanding Citizen of the Year and Heath Diehl as the male Outstanding Citizen of the Year; Elaine Goodwin as the I Love BG recipient; and Mark Cassin as the Greg Hegler Volunteerism Award winner.
The Small Business of the Year Award honors chamber investors that demonstrate achievement in management and workplace excellence, product innovation, and community and social responsibility that has been in operation for a minimum of five years.
Last year’s winners, Kabob It owners Kendra and Zach Baroudi, presented the 2024 Outstanding Small Business of the Year award to Elite Collegiate Apparel, which opened in 2017 and prioritizes its employees by offering competitive wages and a work/life balance.
Because many of its employees are students, the business strives to make employment feel like a home away from home, said Kendra Baroudi.
Owner Kent Kokomoor is called “Local Dad” among staff, she said.
Kokomoor said he gets invitations to former employees’ weddings and well as when their kids are born.
The store has doubled its inventory since opening in 2017 and has added Bowling Green City Schools Bobcat merchandise beside its BGSU apparel.
Co-owner Ryan Frakes said they have capped out their space at the store on East Wooster Street and want to expand their Bobcat apparel.
“A lot of people are asking for it, but we don’t have the room,” he said.
The downtown location, on the corner of West Wooster and South Main in the former bridal store, will focus on BGCS merchandise while keeping BGSU the focus of the store in the Greenwood Centre.
“Knowing that Ryan (Frakes) and I have created a business that’s sustained through COVID and is growing every month,” Kokomoor said. “We try to do whatever we can for everyone in the community,” Kokomoor said.
The Outstanding Customer Service Award honors the local business that provides exceptional customer service to all of their patrons.
Manny Patel purchase Dairy Queen in 2023 and since then has been dedicated to improving the quality of food and customer service, said Kokomoor, whose Elite Collegiate Apparel won the Outstanding Customer Service Award last year.
“They set a high standard that others should want to emulate,” Kokomoor said.
“Thank you, all Bowling Green community, it is our pleasure to serve you better,” Patel said.
He said he planned to announce it later but took the opportunity Saturday to announce the opening of an Indian restaurant in the former Guajillo’s located behind Dairy Queen.
“I didn’t know I was going to be getting this award,” Patel said. “We are just doing our job.”
The Athena award is presented to women who have mentored other women in realizing their full potential and have demonstrated excellence in their business or their profession while contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community.
Wendy Headley, who won the award in 2013, said during her introduction of the 2024 winner that she is a mother of three, full-time employee, volunteer and agricultural advocate who stresses significance of actions over success.
Anderson, in a leadership role with the Wood County Fair livestock sale, brought in over $320,000 in 2023 which was reinvested in the youth agricultural programs, Headley said.
“She is a model citizen of Bowling Green, and her home-grown advocacy has inspired young women and has touched the lives of many,” Headley said.
Anderson said she had been blessed by so many people in the room “but it’s even better that I’ve been able to turn it into a blessing for others.”
“I’m very lucky to give back and show people that you can do it all. You can be a good mom and a good wife and give back so much to your community,” she said. “You can do it all.”
Saturday was her daughter Audrey’s ninth birthday.
“So much of what I do is to show her it is possible,” Anderson said. “The reason behind why I do so much of what I do is the three of them here tonight,” she said about her children.
Anderson, who works at Legacy Farmers Cooperative, said she was blessed by so many role models who helped her pursue her dreams.
“And now it’s a blessing to be able to do that for other girls and women across agriculture and the community,” she said. “It means big dreams can happen in small towns.”
Her husband is a full-time farmer and the couple have started Anderson Farm Products direct-to-consumer meat business selling beef, pork, turkey, chicken and eggs.
The Zeus award is annually awarded to a man who supports a culture that encourages women to achieve their full potential by mentoring and providing leadership development opportunities and initiatives.
Remeis is the leader of a mostly female office staff, and according to his nominator, is continually coaching and helping all the ladies in the office to succeed, said Jason Miller, who won the award last year.
Remeis has served as a member of the chamber board of directors, has taught an entrepreneurship class at BGSU to a majority of female students, was a board member of the American Cancer Society and chairman of the Northwest Ohio Realtors board of directors and a member of the city’s planning commission.
“I’m really, really proud to stand up here and represent the city,” Remeis said.
He said he was surprised to see his children in attendance, as they just spent last week in Chicago.
He said when he joined A.A. Green Realty, the culture was already in place “that was very, very welcoming.”
“I’ve been very fortunate to have really strong, exceptional women in our office,” he said.
The Outstanding Citizen of the Year award recognizes two citizens — one male and one female — who focus their work in the Bowling Green area and have demonstrated an active leadership role for the community through involvement in business, civic, social and/or service organizations.
Margie Harris, who was the 2023 female Outstanding Citizen of the Year, could not be in attendance. Chamber President Nick Peiffer, when presenting the award to Lander, said she doesn’t do what she does for recognition but as a duty to use her skills to give back to the community.
“Her altruism is one of a kind,” he said.
Lander moved to Bowling Green in 1983 and since then has become involved with Brookdale Senior Living, where she has assisted residents for at least a dozen years; has been a vocal supporter of Bowling Green City Schools and served on the facilities task force; has volunteer with the Wood County Humane Society, where she is an advocate for abused, neglected and abandoned animals; and gives her time to the Wood County District Public Library, Habitat for Humanity, Not In Our Time, and La Conexión.
Lander hugged everyone who joined her on the stage and emcee Clint Corpe said the program would continue in a minute as Lander had a lot of fans.
“I’m not deserving of this award,” she said. “I was a foot soldier with organizations that had outstanding leadership,” she said.
“I was totally shocked,” she said later. “I work with so many people in Bowling Green who have really put their heart and soul into different efforts. … I like to be around people who work hard and do it for the right reasons.”
She gave a shout out for the humane society’s garage sale.
“We’ll see you all at the volunteer event. … We could use about 250 volunteers. There’s a job for everyone,” she said.
Brian Paskvan, who was last year’s male Outstanding Citizen of the Year, said this year’s recipient was not only an award-winning educator but a renowned volunteer in multiple community organizations.
In addition to his full-time job working with students, Diehl is known to spend 40 hours a week at the humane society. His involvement in the Black Swamp Players helped lead the group to its first permanent home in 52 years. He has been involved in script selection, prop management, directing, acting and ushering.
Diehl said as an actor, he should have something profound to say.
“I get involved with something I genuinely believe in,” he said, and added theater and the arts are important to creating a welcoming and inclusive community.
The two Citizens of the Year were presented with a framed print drawn by local artist Becky Laabs.
The I Love BG Award honors individuals or organizations for their efforts in increasing the visibility and promotion of the city as well as improving the quality of life for Bowling Green residents through civic and social service.
Goodwin moved to Bowling Green in 1961 and “clearly fell in love with out small-town community,” said Peiffer, who was last year’s recipient.
She currently volunteers Monday-Friday at the Wood County Hospital doing any task needed, helps with the food pantry at St. Thomas More and volunteers at the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
“She cares for friends and neighbors and visits area nursing homes to keep up with friends,” Peiffer said.
“I feel that Bowling Green has given me more than I’ve given it,” Goodwin said.
She said she hoped she could continue to be that 94-year-old lady with the white hair pushing a cart through the hallway of Wood County Hospital.
Greg Hegler was an inspiration to many, and the Greg Kegler Volunteerism Award was modeled after his example and is meant to recognize others who are a role model to chamber investors, Corpe said.
Kokomoor, who was last year’s recipient, said Cassin has shown exemplary leadership skills and a desire to give back to the community during his 45-year banking career in the city. He has been a member of the BG Kiwanis Club, the chamber and has assisted The Cocoon.
Cassin said he was not from Bowling Green but loves being part of the community.
At State Bank, “I’m blessed to be surrounded by people who make volunteering very easy,” he said.
The awards night, with a theme of Out of This World, was held in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom in the Bowen-Thopson Student Union at Bowling Green State University.
