St. Louis, Mo., September 15, 2010 – The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois will present TORCH Awards to 10 businesses and two charities and three Student of Ethics awards at a luncheon Friday, Oct. 29, at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis.
“We are excited to publicly recognize and honor those companies and charities that have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their customers despite economic circumstances that make this commitment so challenging to uphold,” said Mary C. Kullman, BBB Board Chair. Kullman is chief governance officer and corporate secretary of The Laclede Group, Inc.
The top award will go to Hugh Grant, chairman, president and chief executive of Monsanto Company, in recognition of his company’s commitment to exceptional customer service and ethical business practices. Last year’s top recipient, Maxine Clark, chief executive bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop, will present the award to Grant. Carol Daniel, KMOX radio news anchor, will emcee.
Nine other companies and two nonprofits will be recognized for their commitments to business ethics and customer satisfaction:
- A-Mrazek Moving Systems
- BEST Transportation Inc.
- Brown Smith Wallace LLC
- Captiva Marketing
- Coach House Garages
- Commerce Bank
- The Magic House
- Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions
- RubinBrown LLP
- Schaefer Autobody Centers
- United Services
Businesses are evaluated for their commitment to customer service through exceptional standards for ethical business practices. The awards committee, made up of previous winners, looks at how the company benefits customers, employees and the larger community. Companies and charities may nominate themselves or they may be nominated by customers.
The BBB presents winners with a crystal trophy that they can display, and they may promote their status in advertising, marketing and on their websites.
Three high school students will receive awards of $2,500 each to be applied toward college expenses. They were selected from 208 applicants who submitted essays, transcripts and recommendations. The winners are:
- Trevor Wood of Columbia High School in Columbia, Ill.
- Lauren Baker of Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Mo.
- Timira Minor of Cardinal Ritter Prep High School in St. Louis.
“We applaud these students for their interest in ethics and their academic achievement. They set an excellent example for other students as well as adults in the working world today,” Kullman said.
The luncheon is in the Khorassan Room at the Chase Park Plaza. Tickets for the luncheon are available at $40 a person, or $400 for a table of 10. Patron tables for 10 are available for $1,500. For additional information or reservations, contact the BBB at 314-645-0606.
Contacts: Michelle Corey, President & CEO, 314-645-3300,
mcorey@stlouisbbb.org, or Chris Thetford, Director of Communications, 314-645-3300,
communications@stlouisbbb.org
The BBB is a non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. The BBB provides objective advice, free business Reliability Reports, dispute resolution service, charity wise-giving reports, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. Please visit www.bbb.org for more information.