Glastonbury Business Named 'Business Champion'

Hartford, Conn. (June 4, 2015) – The 2015 Business Champions Awards Breakfast, produced in partnership by the MetroHartford Alliance and Hartford Business Journal, kicked-off the Connecticut Business Expo on June 4 by honoring eight privately held companies within the region in the categories of best new start-up, community involvement, innovation, revenue growth and workforce practices.

“Privately held businesses play an integral role in the economic development of the Hartford Region,” said Oz Griebel, president and CEO of the MetroHartford Alliance. “The professionals who found or acquire these businesses embody an entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to excellence that makes our communities better places to live, work, play and raise a family.”

The 2015 Business Champions, include:

· Revenue: Scrubs and Stuff, LLC, of West Hartford

· Workforce Practices: Corporate Translations, of East Hartford & Cronin and Company, LLC, of Glastonbury (tie)

· Community Involvement: BlumShapiro, of West Hartford & KBE, of Farmington (tie)

· Innovation: Oxford Performance Materials, Inc., of South Windsor

· Best New Start-up: Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, of Hartford & Integrated Compliance Solutions, of Hartford (tie)

“We are thrilled to celebrate this phenomenal group of Business Champions,” said Joe Zwiebel, president and publisher of the Hartford Business Journal. “They serve as prime examples of what innovation and leadership can do for businesses throughout our great State.”

Winners were required to be a privately held business or a stand-alone division of a privately held business; a for-profit organization; and located in one of the 61 towns of Greater Hartford.

The 2015 Business Champions Awards was presented by: MetroHartford Alliance and Hartford Business Journal. Sponsors were: Webster Bank (presenting sponsor); Cox Business, Grant Thornton, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, The Pita Group and Shipman & Goodwin, LLP. Event partners, included: Connecticut Convention Center, Co-Communications, Marketing & Public Relations, J. Fiereck Photography, Panera Catering, Go Graphix and The Perfect Promotion.

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About MetroHartford Alliance

The mission of the MetroHartford Alliance is to compete aggressively and successfully for jobs, talent and capital for the Hartford Region and to ensure that the Hartford Region is a premier place for all people to live, work, play and raise a family. Through its members’ intellectual capital and financial investment, the Alliance is able to implement key strategies that further our regional goals of job growth, wealth creation, and talent attraction and retention. Visit www.metrohartford.com for more information.

About Hartford Business Journal

Hartford Business Journal is the only audited weekly, subscription-based business publication in Connecticut. Whether it’s market trends, the latest merger news or an update on state government, this award-winning weekly is the “must read” for area business leaders. Hartford Business Journal has a total readership of 25,000 affluent and educated business decision makers in the 61 towns that make up Metro Hartford. For more information, please visit www.hartfordbusiness.com or call 860.236.9998.