Lakewood Chamber Of Commerce Honors Business Person Of Year, Outstanding New And Long Term Members

At the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Luncheon at Around the Corner on Friday, June 18th, the Chamber honored the following individuals and members. We congratulate and thank them for their support and service. Each of them has contributed to the strength, longevity and success of our organization.

2010 Business Person of the Year: Scott Duennes of Natures Bin 

Scott Duennes has been the Executive Director of Cornucopia and Nature's Bin for the past 24 years. He is responsible for providing day-to-day leadership and management of Cornucopia, Inc. consistent with its non-profit mission of helping people with disabilities develop skills, confidence, and workplace potential. This includes the operations of the Nature's Bin retail natural foods store, the rehabilitative and development functions, and all of the related administrative activities (including finance, human resources and marketing) associated with running the organization. Scott has a bachelor of arts in communications from Cleveland State University.
 
Scott has successfully guided Cornucopia and Nature's Bin through more than two decades of growth and change. This past year (2009) the organization provided over 262 vocational services to 180 individuals with severe disabilities. More than half of the program referrals came from the Cuyahoga County Board of MR/DD with others coming from the State of Ohio and local school districts. Their disabilities vary and include Autism, Mental Retardation, Development Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Hearing or Speech Impairments, Mental Illness and injuries resulting from accidents and illness. Scott has also recently put in place a new initiative focused on Autism, as we begin to see a growing number of young adults diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum.
 
Vocational training takes place in three community based training programs, at Nature's Bin in Lakewood, Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network facility on the west side of Cleveland, and the Jennings Center for Older Adults in Garfield Heights. Cornucopia's Employment Services assist people with disabilities in gaining and  retaining competitive employment in the community.
 
On the retail side of the business, Scott has led the retail management team through the expansion and renovation of Lakewood's only full-service natural and organic food market. Annual retail sales at Nature's Bin have increased from $325,000 in 1986 to over $5 million in 2009. The operation of Nature's Bin is a model of Social Enterprise where a nonprofit organization operates a business that helps them fulfill their mission. Cornucopia's operation of Nature's Bin provides 76% of the funding required to support the entire organization. The store also provides a unique platform for the vocational training program and Nature's Bin has been recognized nationally for its blending of social services with a very successful, full-service natural foods market.
 
Scott (and Nature's Bin) has been an active member of the community and of the Chamber of Commerce of Lakewood for over 25 years, serving several terms on the board of directors.

2010 Outstanding New Member: Diane Helbig of Seize This Day Coaching

Diane is an internationally recognized business and leadership development coach, author, speaker, and workshop facilitator. As a certified, professional coach and president of Seize This Day Coaching, Diane helps businesses and organizations operate more constructively and profitably. She evaluates, encourages, and guides her clients. 
 
Diane is also the author of Lemonade Stand Selling, a sales book for small business owners, and a contributing author to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms. Diane has a radio show--Accelerate Your Business Growth--on BlogTalkRadio (www.blogtalkradio.com/dhelbig) every 2nd and 4th Monday at 1pm EST. To learn more about her coaching practice, please visit www.seizethisdaycoaching.com.

Congratulations to the following Chamber members for their years of continuous support:

80 Years: Bonne Bell and McGorray-Hanna Funeral Home
75 Years: First Federal of Lakewood and Malley's Chocolates
70 Years: Steve Barry Buick, Inc.
60 Years: Roberts & Wendt Animal Hospital
50 Years: Huntington Bank
45 Years: Dominion East Ohio
35 Years: Cottage of Flowers and Westerly Apartments/Barton Center
30 Years: ADA Architects, Inc., Cox Communications, Inc., and Lakewood Animal Hospital
25 Years: JSS Computer Systems, LCW Associates, LTD, Normile & Company, Inc., Stepan CPA Firm, Inc., and Zaremba Group LLC
20 Years: Lakewood Municipal Court, Lakewood Teacher's Association, Landfall American Express Travel, and Schenker, Inc.
15 Years: Butch, Mediate & Co., Create-a-Cake, North American Switchgear, North Coast Health Ministry, and United Readers Service
10 Years: American Family Insurance, American Roofing, Inc., Buckeye Health Benefits, Freight Expediters, Geppettos/Johnny Malloy's, Italian Creations, Spitzer Lakewood, Yulish, Twohig & Associates
5 Years: Barcus Consulting, Chipotle, Cleveland Foundation, Dyslexia Services, Edward Jones Investments, Fitzgibbons Arnold & Company, Gall & Associates Inc., Hospice of the Western Reserve, Independence Mortgage Services, Inc., Inside Business Magazine, Lakewood Catholic Academy, Legal Images, Pet's General Store, Put-in-Bay Lakewood, The Cuyahoga Companies, Inc., The Juris Agency, The Lakewood Observer, West Shore Career-Technical District