KW Mechanical Inc. won the City of Covington’s “Spirit of Progress” award. From left, Mayor Joe Meyer, and, from KW, Marvin Wischer, Karen Wischer, Brian Wischer and Jim Eggemeier.
COVINGTON, Ky. - A record crowd gathered Wednesday night to hear the City of Covington name the winners of its 2018 Business Excellence Awards.
The competition was stiff: This year also saw a record number of nominations, with 87 unique businesses receiving 137 nominations in eight categories.
“These businesses represent the creativity, resourcefulness and innovation that makes our business community so special,” said Mayor Joe Meyer during the awards ceremony at the Madison Event Center, the fourth year for the City’s business recognition program.
The eight category winners:
- Wunderbar, 1132 Lee St., for “Significant Business Growth”
- Klingenberg's Hardware & Paint, 26 W. 7th St. and 3916 Winston Ave, for “Exceptional Customer Service”
- Moonrise Doughnut Shop, 3718 Winston Ave., for “Innovation” (Unique or Innovative Product or Service)
- Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, 717 Madison Ave., for “Community Champion”
- Herb & Thelma's Tavern, 718 W. Pike St., for “History/Longevity”
- Hotel Covington, 638 Madison Ave., for “New Business” (Minimum 1 year, less than 3 years)
- Renaissance Covington, 2 W. Pike St., for “Out of the Box” (Unique/Specialty Business)
- Handzy Shop + Studio, 15 W. Pike St., for “Exceptional Aesthetics” (stewardship, beautification)
In addition, KW Mechanical Inc. of 25 E. 32nd St. was honored with the “Spirit of Progress” award for being a valued partner in furthering the City of Covington’s goals, interests and economy.
“The people at KW Mechanical are innovators, they have created a one-stop service system for all mechanical needs in the residential and commercial service industry,” Meyer said. “They are engaged in making our city and community a better place to live in many ways, large and small.”
Covington officials said they were thrilled by the enthusiasm of everyone who nominated their favorite businesses as well as by the high number, diversity and quality of the nominees.
“As you have seen tonight, Covington is blessed with incredible business talent,” the mayor said.
To choose the winners, the City sent the 137 nominations to a panel of local business association representatives, who ranked the nominees within each category.
The finalists in each category were also recognized, as were four lists of businesses in Covington: Those that have been around for 100 years or more, those that have been around for 50 years to 100 years, the Top 25 Employers and the Top 25 Growth Companies.
Here are the finalists in each category, as well as the businesses which have achieved milestones:
Significant Business Growth
- Wunderbar (winner)
- Scooter Media
- Blinkers Tavern
Exceptional Customer Service
- Klingenberg's Hardware & Paint (winner)
- Moonrise Doughnuts
- Frank's Men's Shop
- The Point Perk
- Bean Haus
Innovation (Unique or Innovative Product or Service)
- Moonrise Doughnut Shop (winner)
- Chroma Vino Paint Bar + Gift Shop
- Braxton Brewing Company
- CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting
- Grainwell Market Home & Gift
Community Champion
- Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission (winner)
- The Point Arc
- Moonrise Doughnuts
- ServPro of Kenton County
- Renaissance Covington
History/Longevity
- Herb & Thelma's Tavern (winner)
- Klingenberg's Hardware & Paint
- Covington Ladies Home
- The Sanders Law Firm
- Welcome House of Northern Kentucky, Inc.
New Business (Minimum 1 year, less than 3 years)
- Hotel Covington (winner)
- Chroma Vino Paint Bar + Gift Shop
- Lisse Steakhuis
- Rooted Yoga
- Handzy Shop + Studio
Out of the Box (Unique/Specialty Business)
- Renaissance Covington (winner)
- Gutierrez Deli
- Papas Candies
- Yankee Doodle Deli
- Strange Stock Art Conservation
Exceptional Aesthetics (stewardship, beautification)
- Handzy Shop + Studio (winner)
- Lost Art Press
- House of Orange
- Left Bank Coffeehouse
100 years or more
- Allison & Rose Funeral Home
- Motch Jewelers
- St. Elizabeth Healthcare
- Rusk Heating & Cooling
- Fedders Feed & Seed
- Truitt Roofing
- Linnemann Funeral Homes (Serenity Funeral Care)
- Kentucky Federal Savings & Loan
- Citizens Federal Savings & Loan
- Covington Ladies Home
- Adams Stepner Woltermann & Dusing Law Firm
- D C Morrison Co.
- Swindler & Currin Funeral Home
- Riggs Hearing & Vision
- Boeckley/Ruwe Pharmacy (Latonia)
- Frank's Men's Shop
50 years to 100 years
- T & W Printing
- Klingenberg's Hardware
- Ashland Inc.
- Smith Muffler
- A.F. Riedinger & Sons/Reliable Cleaners
- Bressler & Co. CPAs
- Twin Oaks Golf & Plantation Club
- Dixie Chili & Deli
- Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home
- Blank's Pharmacy
- Herb & Thelma's
- Bilz Insurance
- Connley Bros. Funeral Home
- Landwehr Hardware
- B & E Decorating Center/B & E Paints
- Egelston Maynard Sports
- American Sound & Electronics
- CTS Packaging Inc.
- Gliers Meats
- Ken/Api Builders Supply
- Walther Auto Body
- Ziegler Dance Studio
- Steffen's Rental
- John R Green Co.
- Kelly Bros. Home Center-Lumber Co.
- White Castle
- S & W Tire & Car
- Crone's Auto Body
- Baptist Towers (Baptist Life Communities)
- Firestone Co.
- Lloyd's Roller Rink
- B J Novelty
- Corken Steel
- D'amico Tailor Shop
- Papas Candies
- Swilly's Auto Sales
- Taylor Brothers Inc.
- Victory Battery
- Economy Market
- Batson & Associates
- St. Charles Care Center
- Richard G. Kemper Inc.
- Theatre House Inc.
- Gateway Glass & Glazing
- Rosedale Manor / Rosedale Green
- Taliaferro, Carran & Cowherd, PLLC
- Latonia Bait & Tackle
- Corbin Auto Body
- Liquor City Uncorked (formerly Cork-N-Bottle)
- NorthKey
- Pediatric Care of Ky. PSC
- Regional Reps Corp.
- Restoration Society
- Corporex Companies Inc.
- Panorama Apts.
- Blau Mechanical, Inc.
Top 25 Employers
- Fidelity Investments
- IRS
- Covington Board of Education
- Club Chef
- Commonwealth of Kentucky
- Atkins & Pearce
- Catholic Board of Education
- Kenton County
- St. Elizabeth
- Rosedale Green
- Kroger
- Ashland Inc.
- Erigo Inc.
- Summit Medical Group
- Aimbridge
- Data Intensity LLC
- U.S. Postal Service
- Kenton County Board of Education
- Gateway Community & Technical College
- Healthpoint
- Pro Mach Inc.
- PLR LLC dba Lexus Rivercenter
- Tier I Technologies
- Megacorp Logistics
- Packaging Unlimited
Top 25 Growth Companies
- Commonwealth Hotels LLC
- Rizzo Bros Painting
- Mebs & Associates LLC
- Tier I Technologies
- Erigo Inc
- ABM Onsite Services Midwest
- Duke Energy Business Services
- Atria Management Company LLC
- Covington Childrens Home
- Mills Sherman (St. E Emergengy Physicians)
- Jones Lang LaSalle America Inc.
- Packaging Unlimited
- Tier I Performance Solutions
- Legacy Financial Advisors
- Tasico Cincinnati LP dba The Radisson Hotel
- Club Chef
- Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission
- Fidelity Investments
- Kroger
- Housing Authority of Covington
- Providence Pavillion
- Barnett Industries Inc. dba Indy Honeycomb
- PLR LLC dba Lexus Rivercenter
- 3 G's Stadium Liquor
- C & B Marine LLC
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