Newport Businesses 'Thrilled' by 2011 Chamber Excellence Awards

Six Newport County businesses were honored this week with a 2011 Excellence in Business Award from the .

The ceremony was held Monday, May 9, at the Newport Officers Club. Rep. David Cicilline was the guest speaker.

For the first time in the history of these awards, the winners knew only that they had been nominated among many, and not that they had won.

Newport's Cadeaux du Monde owners said on the company Facebook page that they "can't believe the win" and were "just thrilled to be nominated.

RI Computer Learning Services manager Robin Gardner, who was recognized as the county's Entrepenuer of the Year, echoed that sentiment on her Web site.

"I still don't know who made the nomination, but when I find out, I'll be giving someone a great big hug!" she wrote.

The Excellence in Business Awards are an annual tradition started by the Newport County Chamber of Commerce five years ago.  This year’s winners were selected from 25 nominations in six categories. A selection committee was made up of volunteers from the Chamber’s Member Services and Ambassadors Committees.

Here's the full list of winners:

Large Business: 

Small Business: 

Micro Business:

Woman Owned Business: 

Entrepreneur of the Year: RI Computer Learning Services

Non-Profit of the Year: