Local Business Wins $25,000 In Wells Fargo Work Project Contest

A local business was among the top five grand prize winners in the Wells Fargo Works Project contest.

cHarissa, of Cutchogue, received $25,000 for their business, tailored solutions for their business, six months of professional guidance from small business experts and a $5,000 donation to an eligible non-profit organization in their community made by Wells Fargo.

The company produces cHarissa condiment and spice which was developed in America by Moroccan native Gloria Fultz. She and her husband Earl were encouraged for decades by family and friends to sell cHarissa, but it wasn’t until they settled into retirement that they began bottling it. After selling the product at a farmer’s market, cHarissa made its way onto the shelves of several local retailers. Though Gloria passed away last year, 90-year-old Earl is continuing to grow the company and keep the story behind cHarissa alive, according to the Wells Fargo site.

Elected officials and Jim Malcolm, northeast small business strategy director for Wells Fargo, honored Earl in a ceremony at 8 Hands Farm in Cutchogue on Wednesday, Oct. 8, according to SoutholdLocal.

As for the $5,000 donation to the non-profit organization of his choice, Earl picked East End Hospice, which helped his late wife Gloria immeasurably before she lost her battle, according to SoutholdLocal.

The contest ran from May 1 to June 30. The top five winners were elected from 25 contest finalists.

To enter, small business owners had to submit a short video or essay describing why they became a business owner, their mission and purpose, and their business goals and challenges. The finalists and grand prize winners were selected based on their responses to the contest questions and their contest entry. Entries were judged by panel of contest judges and through public voting.

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