Steve Kendrick was named the 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce at a luncheon Thursday.
Kendrick is co-owner of Kendrick Paint and Body, an Augusta business that was founded by his grandfather in 1952.
Building and expanding a small business is impossible without the help of dedicated staff, Kendrick said, and that is who he first mentioned after receiving his award.
“It’s really hard to stand up here and accept this award without all of our technicians, all our employees and all our customers,” he said. “That’s who really makes it happen.”
Kendrick was announced as the winner after a short video with clips of community leaders, peers and customers lauding him for his devotion to customer service, innovation and giving back to his community.
“Steve embodies the characteristics of an innovative and driven entrepreneur who is determined to take his business to remarkable levels,” said Terry Elam, the chairman of the chamber board. “The growth performance and organizational excellence of his company speaks for itself and we are very proud to honor him with this award.”
The award is given to local entrepreneurs who have been in business for at least 12 months, show creativity in the innovation of products or services, have a positive response to adversity, contribute to the community and are a member in good standing of the chamber.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was the keynote speaker, and he said the local, state and national economies are built by people like Steve Kendrick.
“Things are a lot different when you’re in business for yourself, and Steve Kendrick knows what that’s like,” Reed said. “We’re grateful for people like him.”
The Atlanta and Augusta economies affect each other, he said, and it is vital that leaders from all over the state work together to improve the state as a whole.
“What happens in your capital city matter because we’re all partners,” he said. “You have to be a friend to have friends, and Augusta has a friend in Atlanta.”
Please tell me this is not our tax commissioner!
No this is not the tax commissioner! How could you get this guy mixed
up with our tax commissioner, his name is Cushman.
Congratulations Stevie, a hard working humble man and a good friend.
Don't know Stevie but I've met his parents many times. They seem like good people and it seems like they did a good job with him. Congrats!
Congrats Stevie, you earned this award. If everyone ran their biz like the Kendrick's America would still be unbeatable.
Many say the ONLY reason why there is a Steven Kendrick that got elected to being RC's tax commissioner is most thought they were voting for THIS Steven Kendrick. You've NEVER heard of this Steven Kendrick loosing $25,000 he wouldn't deposit in the Brinks Truck sent to get it and he's had access to millions over several decades yet the Tax Commissioner couldn't go more than a few months before $25,000. went missing from his office AFTER he didn't put it on the Brinks truck. This proves there should be a picture of the candidate that you are voting for on the ballot to avoid this kind of confusion in the future.
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