BBB presents categories for excellence in business

The Better Business Bureau will name recipients of the ninth annual Torch Awards during an awards banquet Oct. 24.

Named for the symbolic torch on the organization’s logo, the Torch Awards were created by the Council of Better Business Bureaus in 2005.

“Winners receive a plaque and a banner ad on our website for a year,” said Andy Fisher, BBB president. “This gives the winning businesses exposure to the 35,000 inquiries our website receives each month.”

Awards are presented in four categories: Integrity Category (practicing integrity in the marketplace), Customer Commitment Category (businesses that have an outstanding customer service program), Good Neighbor Category (businesses and their employees that play a significant role in support of local organizations and charities), and Not-For-Profit Category (not-for-profit organizations).

Past winners include a diverse group of Shreveport-Bossier City businesses and nonprofits including Payne Mechanical Service, Fire Tech Systems Inc., the United Way of Northwest Louisiana and Red River Motor Company.

Payne Mechanical Service won the 2011 Integrity award. General manager Keith Payne said, “We were honored to win considering the great companies we were up against.”

Fire Tech Systems Inc. was a co-winner of the 2010 Small Business award (a former category). President and founder Linda Biernacki said, “We were very proud that we were recognized for the company culture of high integrity and daily commitment in providing our customers with the security of knowing their life safety systems are in compliance and in working order.”

Winning the 2011 Not-For-Profit award was the United Way of Northwest Louisiana. Bruce Willson, president and Chief Executive Officer, said, “The United Way of Northwest Louisiana continues to improve lives by mobilizing to caring power of our communities to advance the common good. Instead of just raising money for good causes, we have to be a part of helping to motivate people around community change. We have focused on education, income and health because these are building blocks of a better quality of life and are the pathway to opportunity. Receiving recognition from a respected community partner such as the Better Business Bureau encourages us to continue to attain our goals.”

George Fritze, dealer at Red River Motor Company, said that winning a 2007 Torch Award was one of the criteria considered in naming him and Red River Motor Company as the National Automobile Dealer’s Association /Time Magazine/Goodyear Tire “National Dealer of the Year” in 2009.

“Our company strives to deliver outstanding customer service and promptly responds to any customer complaints,” he said. “The award was to recognize the companies that had the highest ethics and reputation for honest operations. This award means a great deal to me.”

Winners for 2013 will be announced at the Torch Award Banquet October 24 at East Ridge Country Club in Shreveport. Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards presentation. Featured speaker is Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell. The event is open to the public with tickets available for purchase from the Better Business Bureau.

Scholarships will also be awarded at the banquet to students majoring in business at Louisiana State University – Shreveport, Centenary College, Southern University-Shreveport, Bossier Parish Community College, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, and Louisiana Tech University-Bossier.

– Jeff Slaughter

IF YOU GO:

Tickets for the Torch Banquet may be purchased online at: www. shreveport.bbb.org, by telephone 797-1330 or by mail.