Johnson County Employers Awarded for Resilience
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAspire Economic Development + Chamber Alliance has announced the winners of its Business Resilience Award, which was created to recognize Johnson County and southern Indianapolis employers that adapted to the business challenges stemming from the pandemic.
Aspire showcased for-profit and nonprofit organizations in five categories. Aspire Chief Executive Officer Christian Maslowski says the awards recognize businesses and leaders who continue the healthcare crisis “with courage, empathy and a never-ending commitment to creative problem-solving.”
Winners by category are:
- Small Companies – Middle Davids Artisan Candles. Maslowski says the business convinced artist vendors to pivot to online sales and reconfigured operations.
- Medium Companies – Grafton Peak Catering. The company lost 90% of its business, but it launched a shared kitchen to support start-ups and micro-businesses.
- Large Companies – The Garrett Companies. The real estate business focused on the team’s connectivity and has become “more efficient than ever before,” said Maslowski.
- Small Nonprofits – Resources of Hope. The nonprofit supports the physical and emotional needs of foster youth and relies on in-person visits to its Clothing Closet to help the children with attire. It created an online ordering and contactless pick-up.
- Large Nonprofits – Franklin College. Aspire says like schools at all levels, Franklin was forced to pivot to a virtual environment. Among its changes, the school distributed Wi-Fi hotspots for students quarantining off-campus and modernized its IT department. Despite having to conduct student recruiting virtually, Franklin welcomed one of its largest cohorts of first-year students in the last five years.
“It was also a year that taught us nothing is guaranteed. We applaud our award winners for sharing their inspiring stories highlighting the bravery of exceptional employees and their larger-than-life accomplishments during the pandemic,” said Maslowski.