Business Achievement Awards are a celebration and testimony to the best entrepreneurs, leaders, and businesses in Santa Fe. The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce hosted the awards event, presented by Daniels Insurance. The Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to strengthen the local economy and serve as the Voice of Business in community affairs, and at our awards event we gathered to celebrate the work and wonderful accomplishments of our business community. We would like to thank the following guests and organizations: Master of Ceremonies: Carlos Medina Entertainment by Carlos Medina Trio & Kick-Ass Entrepreneurs Photography: Daniel Quat Photography Security: Security Asset Solutions Venue: Santa Fe Community Convention Center
We would like to thank our Restaurant Sponsors: Chick-fil-A Cowgirl BBQ Fusion Tacos, LLC Kingston Residence La Fonda del Sol - Espanola La Fonda on Plaza The Montecito Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q Sam’s Club – Santa Fe The Verdes Foundation What THE truck
Join us to celebrate our 2022 winners! Congratulations to all the nominees in each category! Top three finalists in each award category are listed below.
Nominations were collected for two months, asking business owners and patrons to share examples of excellence. These merit-based nominations required thoughtful responses focusing on the quality of response, rather than the number of nominations received. Judging criteria for each category focused on resilience, community support, and innovation in addition to overall business excellence. Understanding the challenges that businesses have been facing, we took adaptability and persistence into consideration, rather than focusing solely on numerical growth. The judging panel consists of awards partners and winners from the previous year. Nominations were open to all for-profit businesses in Santa Fe. We received over seventy nominations. This year, the decision and review of our nominees, was a very difficult one for our judges, as there were four businesses that kept this race close. We would like to recognize each of the businesses and congratulate them on the amazing work they are doing:
Dashing Delivery
La Fonda on the Plaza
Broken Arrow Glass
Vinaigrette
Although we would love to award each of these four businesses, we can only name ONE as the 2022 Small Business of the Year.
WINNER* Broken Arrow Glass Developed during the pandemic, Broken Arrow Glass has launched and grown the first creative glass recycling program in the state of New Mexico. Their creative recycling program creates a positive, eco-conscious, and closed loop system for local glass waste. They employee LGBTQ community members, as inclusion is a core value of their business. The innovation that Broken Arrow Glass brings to the community reduces our local footprint, brings people together, and connects recycling with creativity.
This year’s Categories and Nominees are...
Business Excellence Awards Nominees (SMALL 1-4 Employees)
Anthony's Grill Antonio's Electric Broken Arrow Glass Brynda Gonzalez - State Farm Insurance Capitol Counsel & Consulting Chomp (McMojo LLC, DBA Chomp) Daniel Quat Photography, LLC. Eldorado Audiology and Hearing Center Elevation Financial Group Expert Auto Repair & Service Fab Lab Hub, LLC Firefly Strategies Gustavo Pimentel "The Guitarist" Lucky Dawg Daycare Mind Over Markets LLC My Own Hair Studio by Cindi No-No FiFi Dog Training & Pet Concierge Paseo Pottery Peace Place for Kids Pi Luna Art, LLC Pomegranate Studios Pushpin Collaborative Co. Sign of the Pampered Maiden State Farm Insurance - Jairo Gutierrez The Color Bar Zenbox Marketing
TOP 3
WINNER* State Farm Insurance – Jairo Gutierrez - Jairo is a local Santa Fean raised by immigrant parents, a young well-educated businessperson, whose mission is to create an environment that cultivates a sense of community. His entire team is bilingual, he participates in many community events, and is genuinely a compassionate person. Congratulations to Jairo Gutierrez and his entire team at State Farm, servicing the Southside.
Anthony’s Grill - Anthony’s Grill has expanded their menu and increased their visibility on social media, realizing that they needed to reach out to the community in a more direct way by providing delivery service within the city limits and accessible counter service. James’ positive outlook has helped him sustain a good client base during this time, as well as his nutritious menu. They take the time to listen to their customers and are always open to suggestions on improving the experience at their establishment. Daniel Quat Photography - Daniel specializes in telling your brand’s story in exciting imagery and in capturing the essence of business people, artists, families and seniors alike, helping them to be seen for their passions and talents. He has over 60 5-star reviews on Google and was named as the # 1 photography business in Santa Fe, NM by “Top Rated Local Businesses”. He’s accredited with the NM BBB with an A+ rating. In conjunction with the NM Department of Agriculture, Daniel offered free photo shoost for restaurants to help them get back on their and was featured on WKRQE TV, Albuquerque. He supports many non profits in Santa Fe with his photography. Business Excellence Awards Nominees MEDIUM (5-20 employees)
Action Glass & Mirror Ageless Aesthetics MediSpa Alterations & More Botwin Oculus Bourbon Grill at El Gancho Capitol Computer & Network Solutions Dashing Delivery Design Warehouse Ecco Espresso and Gelato New Mexico Magazine Nurses With Heart Home Care Pro-Move Logistics Quezada Jacobs Family Agency - Allstate Reside Home Restaurant Martin Sangre de Cristo Roof Company Santa Fe Goldworks Sweet Santa Fe, LLC The Finishing Touch The Rikoon Group Tipton Engineering Toy Auto Man Vinaigrette what THE truck ZOETIC, Nourishing Earth, LLC
TOP 3
WINNER* Dashing Delivery - Sandra & Justin Greene, started Dashing Delivery 19 years ago, and today are the leader in their field and beyond in environmental sustainability, local sourcing & employee support. Today they have a total of sixteen employees, earning over $15/hour with a flexible work-life balance. DD shifted thier work scheduling to adapt to the employee’s needs, reducing issues like being short staffed. DD has three drivers with little kids, and allow them to take breaks to nurse their babies. DD only works with locally owned restaurants, no chains. They also support local non-profits, in 2021 alone, they donated more than 14,000 meals to The Food Depot. Sandra, being a part women-owned understands the importance of supporting women in the workforce, which is why the ratio to men and women is evenly split. They also practice sustainability with a goal to reduce their carbon footprint, by using only electric vehicles.
Alterations & More - During covid, Alterations & More, transitioned from an alterations/embroidery business to a facemask production powerhouse. They have been responsive to customers’ feedback, by selecting higher quality materials and adopted ergonomic facemask designs. Despite the increase in material prices and a shortage in labor-force, owner, Laura Hermosillo, has managed to grow her company and support her employees, and the community throughout the last several years. Capitol Computer & Network Solutions – Over a years’ time, they have returned to 7 days a week operations; Added new services including: VOIP phones, security cameras, and wireless internet for Madrid area; Expanded facility space from 800 to 3200 sf; Doubled employee count from a COVID-low of 4 to current of 8; Google Rating of 4.9 based on 207 reviews/BBB rating of A+; Delivered internet service for the Pueblo of Tesuque to support remote learning for students during COVID; 21% Annual Growth Rate of Revenue between 2015 and 2021 including record years in both 2020 and 2021; Maintained intern/apprenticeship programs leading to full-time technician roles.
Business Excellence Awards Nominees LARGE (21+ employees) Century Bank Cowgirl BBQ Fusion Tacos LLC Honda/Subaru of Santa Fe La Fonda on the Plaza Massage Envy Meow Wolf Opuntia Cafe Quail Run Association Santa Fe Stoneworks Southwestern Title & Escrow Steady Networks The Verdes Foundation Toyota of Santa Fe Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery
TOP 3
WINNER* Meow Wolf - Meow Wolf is an explorable art experience for all ages, as a B Corp Certified business they are socially and environmentally pro-active in their business practices. Offering fair wages, safe COVID practices, remote and flexible work schedules. They support our local community by offering donations and working with local nonprofits in finding unique solutions.
Fusion Tacos, LLC - Fusion Tacos is a businesses that is always active in the community. They are always finding ways to get involved and help those in need. In response to the recent wildfires, they supported efforts at a benefit concert, took in donations, and travelled to Las Vegas, NM to distribute free meals to fire fighters and fire evacuees. la Fonda on the Plaza - The only hotel in Santa Fe to remain open throughout the duration of the COVID19 crisis, and worked diligently to provide employment opportunities to their staff during the challenging time. They adopted health and safety measures and provided extensive training to the staff on Covid Safety best practices. They were innovative and adapted to challenges, as demonstrated during COVID when the entire Food & Beverage operation moved to the Terrace rooftop in order to provide outdoor food service.
Green Business of the Year
Alterations & More Broken Arrow Glass Cowgirl BBQ Dashing Delivery Expert Auto Repair & Service La Fonda on the Plaza Massage Envy Mind Over Markets LLC My Own Hair Studio by Cindi No-No FiFi Dog Training & Pet Concierge Opuntia Café’ Pi Luna Art, LLC Quail Run Association Steady Networks The Color Bar Vinaigrette ZOETIC, Nourishing Earth, LLC
TOP 4
WINNER* Vinaigrette - Erin Wade is continually monitoring emerging markets, focusing on employee and customer needs and satisfaction. She has been very progressive in her organization’s sustainability efforts. She farms land to grow her own produce and recycles leftover food to feed the pigs on the farm. She is currently working on a new sustainable campaign that encourages consumers to “break up with plastic.”
Cowgirl BBQ - The Cowgirl BBQ has been in business since 1993. The have embraced the “Howdy Factor” as their mantra to all who enter their establishment. The Cowgirl is a landmark restaurant with a social environment. Cowgirl has embraced very effective waste and recycling protocols from recylether frying oil and compost pick up, incorporating phosphate free straws, compostable take our boxes and biodegradable utensils with their take out orders.
Opuntia Café’ - In addition to restaurant, and cocktails, we are also a plant boutique store you can purchase high altitude, drought tolerant, indoor plants of excellent quality, all the vertical materials are compostable, but also beautiful for excellent food presentation.They have a program where people come to receive compost daily. They use LEDs for lighting, low flow faucets, also have a Koi pond in the interior of the café. All the excess drinking water from water pitchers goes to keep the Koi pond flowing. Broken Arrow Glass - By transforming glass recycling into art, Broken Arrow Glass has launched and grown the first creative glass recycling program in the state of New Mexico. Developed during the pandemic, their creative glass recycling program creates a positive, eco-conscious, and closed loop system for local glass waste. The innovation that Broken Arrow Glass brings to the community reduces our local footprint, brings people together, and connects recycling with creativity.
Family-Friendly Business of the Year
Alterations and More Anthony's Grill Botwin Oculus Capitol Computer & Network Solutions Cowgirl BBQ Dashing Delivery Expert Auto Repair & Service La Fonda on the Plaza Massage Envy Meow Wolf Peace Place for Kids Pro-Move Logistics Quezada Jacobs Family Agency - Allstate Southwestern Title & Escrow Steady Networks The Color Bar The Finishing Touch Vinaigrette
TOP 3
WINNER* Alterations & More– During covid, Alterations & More, transitioned from an alterations/embroidery business to a facemask production powerhouse. The owner, Laura Hermosillo, an immigrant single parent, modified a unique schedule for her staff. This schedule allowed them to care for each other’s children, and cover each other’s shifts, to allow everyone to make a steady income. Against all barriers, Laura managed to grow her company and support her employees, and the community.
Vinaigrette - Vinaigrette offers a flex schedule for management and various work schedule opportunities for hourly employees with an emphasis on accommodating personal and family needs of employees. Recognition and rewards are performance based. In the Summer of 2021, Vinaigrette implemented a tipless policy wherein the pricing structure was adjusted so that back-of-house employees and front-of-house employees could be more equally recognized from a financial perspective and be paid on both a performance based and a service based equal playing field. This was implemented, in part, to recognize that kitchen staff (an often overlooked, but equally important contributing component of a restaurant's success) could more proportionately share in the rewards from customer satisfaction. There is nothing Erin values more than equal pay and opportunity. La Fonda on the Plaza– La Fonda on the Plaza has earned distinction for its workplace policies by Family-Friendly New Mexico, a statewide initiative developed to recognize employers that have adopted policies that give New Mexico businesses an advantage in recruiting and retention. The hotel never closed its doors and worked diligently to provide employment opportunities to their staff during the challenging time.
Women-Owned Business of the Year
Ageless Aesthetics MediSpa Alterations & More Broken Arrow Glass Capitol Counsel & Consulting Cowgirl BBQ Expert Auto Repair & Service Fab Lab Hub, LLC Massage Envy My Own Hair Studio by Cindi No-No FiFi Dog Training & Pet Concierge Paseo Pottery Pomegranate Studios Pushpin Collaborative Co. Rubina Cohen Sign of the Pampered Maiden Sweet Santa Fe, LLC The Color Bar The Verdes Foundation Vinaigrette what THE truck
TOP 3 WINNER* Capitol Counsel & Consulting - Established in 2018, Capitol Counsel & Consulting is one of the only women-owned government affairs firms in New Mexico and is committed to bringing awareness to gender equality in the space of politics and lobbying. Rikki-Lee Chavez, the Founder of CCC, works to educate the next generation about understanding and participating in policy making. The company engages with dynamic young women from rural New Mexico to mentor and foster a new normal in government relations.
Pomegranate Studios - Pomegranate Studios has been a place of mentorship and empowerment for women of all ages since its inception in Santa Fe in 1996. The Pomegranate SEEDs® (Self-esteem, Empowerment and Education through Dance) Youth Mentorship program has empowered hundreds of young women in the Santa Fe community and beyond to in the areas of self-esteem, positive body image, community responsibility and financial literacy. 125, mostly women, instructors from across the country have been trained at Pomegranate Studios to successfully run this powerful program in their own communities.
Vinaigrette – There is nothing Erin values more than equal pay and opportunity for women. She teaches and advocates constantly. Every person at the restaurant has the opportunity to grow in their position and succeed, regardless of sex and gender. Erin Wade is one of the most ambitious women in Santa Fe.
