NEW ALBANY, Ind. — One Southern Indiana (1si) announced the winners of its 31st annual ONE Awards at a dinner held at Huber’s Orchard, Winery & Vineyard’s Plantation Hall on April 11, 2019. Approximately 300 attendees celebrated the success of these local and regional businesses.
The program recognized finalists in six business categories who were showcased in customized videos before representatives of each award’s sponsor announced the winners. Nominees’ scores were evaluated by a panel of judges based on criteria including business history, community involvement, response to adversity, newly-created opportunities, and innovation in products or services. Nominees were also scored through an online poll.
Here are the 2019 winners:
The Sazerac Company was named the 2019 Rodefer Moss & Co, PLLC Economic Development Impact Project of the Year ONE Award, presented to company whose introduction to the community, or expansion of current facilities has had the largest impact on our community in the past year.
In June of 2018, the Sazerac Company, one of the largest distilling companies in the United States, announced the purchase and renovation of the former General Mills Pillsbury Plant in New Albany, Ind., which closed in 2016. The renovations to the facility, which expands the company’s processing, blending, packaging and distribution capabilities, is a $66 million capital investment. Sazerac has completed their renovation and started two production lines. If plans continue, Sazerac estimates the 460,000-square-foot former food plant could be at full capacity and fully staffed with 110 workers in total by 2021, brining approximately $5.5 million in new annual payroll to Floyd County.
Sazerac has grown significantly over the past several years and has invested heavily in its manufacturing network, including large investments in three plants in Kentucky. Its Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort is undergoing a $1.2 billion investment over the next ten years, including new mash cookers, bottling lines and barrel warehouses. The company’s Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown completed a $15 million distillery and grain drying upgrade in 2017, and The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro completed a $45 million addition in 2016 with a new state-of-the-art distribution center.
Sazerac is one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers with operations in the United States in Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Maryland, California, and global operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, India, Australia and Canada.
Safety NET LLC was the winner of the Commerce Bank Rising Star ONE Award, presented to an outstanding company that has been in existence fewer than five year.
Safety NET, LLC is in the business of teaching people how to become heroes by giving them the knowledge and skill to perform the life-saving techniques of first aid, CPR ad AED training. Co-owners Jaracz Swain, a twenty-year veteran and retired captain of the Louisville Fire Department and Melvyn Little, who served with the Louisville Fire Department for more than 24 years as a captain and chaplain, launched the business in 2014. Since that time, revenue grew 100 percent until 2018 when the two-person business approached capacity at a 35 percent annual increase.
Safety NET was the winner in the “Very Small Business” category for the 2017 Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Ethics. Subsequently, Safety NET was nominated and was a finalist for the BBB International Torch Wards for Ethics in Edmonton, Canada. In addition, Jaracz Swain was awarded the 2017 “Boom Award” for Volunteer of the Year from the Jeffersontown Chamber of Commerce for his volunteer work.
As this business grows, so does the level of safety of everyone around us. Each student that completes a Safety NET course increases the chance that a life that may have been lost will be saved, illustrating the truth behind the company motto, “Learn Today. Live Tomorrow. “
Park Community Credit Union University of Park Employee Development Program, winner of the Centra Credit Union WorkHub Innovation in Culture ONE Award, is presented to a company for an encompassing program working in diversity, workplace health and company culture.
The Park Community Credit Union University of Park Employee Development Program was launched in 2014 for the “Best of the Best” and has continued to be an elite program. Park feels recognizing talent early and cultivating the individual into a leader through a progression of leadership-focused sessions has proven to be an invaluable asset to the organization.
Park Community’s program empowers employees to be successful in future leadership roles across the organization. Throughout the duration of the curriculum, 38 percent of the participants have been promoted to a management role either during the courses or immediately following the completion of the program. While Park Community hopes to reap the benefits of their graduated employees, the skills and growth participants gain are immeasurable, as they can be utilized in any professional environment.
The University of Park program has been recognized by the Kentuckiana Association for Talent Development as The Talent Development Program of the Year. In addition, it has been recognized numerous times by the Ky Credit Union League for the outstanding work the groups have done in the area of community service. It is a win-win-win situation for the credit union, the employees and the community.
Metro United Way Build-a-Bed Program is the 2019 Nu-Yale Nonprofit Program of the Year ONE Award, which is presented to a nonprofit 1si member with an innovative and successful program, initiative or activity.
2018 was the second year of the Metro United Way featured program, Build-a-Bed. The pilot was launched last year in partnership with Greater Clark Co. Schools and succeeded in building 50 beds for students who didn’t have a bed of their own. Due to high demand, the program was expanded to include all public-school districts in Clark & Floyd counties and one in Harrison Co., totaling five school districts. This year, Metro United Way brought together 180 volunteers and built 150 beds for students over a two-day period as well as supplying other needed items.
Applicants for the program were all children who were sleeping more than two to a bed, sleeping on a cot or the floor, on a sofa or couch or who were sleeping on a mattress with exposed springs. The results speak for themselves. On a consistent basis, students who receive more than eight quality hours of sleep perform 14% better in math and language skills, along with improvements in school attendance, ability to focus, and overall health.
Not only are the results seen in the students grades and health but in their gratitude. As one mother said, “I thank you all for the Christmas Blessing! No matter how hard times get, I always keep the faith and God will provide. I hope everyone involved in this program is truly blessed! Thank you all, God bless you!”
The German American Bank Business of the Year with 50 or Fewer Employees ONE Award was presented to The Orange Clover LLC.
Orange Clover is a cafe and catering company located on the city line of Old Clarksville and Jeffersonville. Named 1si’s ONE Awards Rising Star in 2017, revenue for The Orange Clover has exploded over the past six years with December 2019 showing revenue growth of 500% from December of 2012.
The Orange Clover’s products focus on high quality and healthy ingredients, sourced locally whenever available, but their service is what truly sets them apart from other restaurants. The staff enjoys building quality, long lasting relationships with their guests and community. This includes knowing the names and beverage orders of regulars, remembering special preferences and dietary restrictions and quick recall of standard catering orders.
The Orange Clover also provides daily discounted meals for military personnel and first responders, as well as providing free meals to these groups a couple weeks out of the year. While many restaurants help raise money for a good cause, the staff at the Orange Clover has taken it one step farther by forming a team and shaving their heads for St. Baldrick’s, a children’s cancer research organization. In 2018, the employees decided to shave their heads to benefit a local mother battling stage four breast cancer for the second time. They succeeded in netting over $5,000 for treatment and care for herself and her family. That’s fantastic service, not only to their customers but to their community.
MCM CPAs & Advisors was named the 2019 Park Community Credit Union Business of the Year with 51 or More Employees, presented to a noteworthy company with more than 50 employees and that demonstrates business growth, exceptional company culture, innovation and community involvement.
MCM CPAs & Advisors is a premiere regional CPA and consulting firm working as trusted business advisors to help their clients organize and manage their finances, recommend action on complicated compliance protocols and guide them through many of the other gnarly issues their clients deal with running a business. With MCM’s depth of resources, technology and experience, they are able to provide services for their clients like a much larger firm but keep the personal touch as they emphasize the values: people matter, leaders inspire and excellence rules.
MCM was recently ranked as number 78 in Accounting Today’s Top 100 list of accounting firm in the United States. The firm has also earned and been awarded Best Places to Work distinctions in multiple states. Long hours are often a part of the accounting profession and MCM works hard to make sure employee satisfaction remains high by offering a flexible work schedule and other perks provided by their Fun Committee. During the busiest season, employees are provided with catered meals, snacks and other incentives such as chair massages to reduce stress. Employees also compete in the Office Olympics by forming teams and competing in games like trivia, putt-putt and chair curling
The Jeffersonville office has made it a priority to get as many MCMers as possible involved in the community. MCM team members spend more than 2000 hours a year doing community service, with over 260 organizations each year.
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