Do you know a business that could be a winner? The Greater Austin Chamber announces the finalists for the Sixth Annual Greater Austin Business Awards event that will be held Wednesday, August 30 from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Hilton Austin, 500 East Fourth Street.

Created in 2001, the Greater Austin Business Awards continues to set the standard for business excellence in the Greater Austin area. In the past, the Awards recognized only Chamber members. This year marks the first time that the Chamber will recognize companies across the entire Greater Austin business community including businesses in Georgetown, Leander, San Marcos, Buda and all other cities within the Central Texas region.

New additions to the Business Awards include an Environmental Award and a VIP reception which will be sponsored by Frost Bank. Finalists, judges and distinguished guests will honor those who make the awards possible. This year’s theme, “Summer in the City,” will feature local artists and music celebrating Austin at its finest.

The finalists have been selected, bringing these companies one step closer to winning. The awards will be given to small, medium, large and not-for-profit businesses in five categories: Community Relations, Innovation, Customer Service, Education and Environment. Finalists for the Freescale Non-Profit Award have also been selected.
And the finalists are:

Small Business:
Innovation- Biophysical Corporation; M3 Design, Inc; Watershed 5 Studios
Customer Service- Community TechKnowledge; Personal Wine by Pervino, Inc.; Red Velvet Events, Inc.
Education- Locke, Liddell & Sapp; Risas Y Sonrisas Spanish for Kids; Sprysoft Corporation
Community Relations- $usan $peaks; austinwoman Magazine; O’Connell Robertson & Associates
Environment- Habitat Suites Hotel; The Natural Gardner

Medium Business:
Innovation- ABC Pest & Lawn Services; Motion Computing, Inc.; Netspend Corporation
Customer Service- David Weekley Homes; Higginbotham & Associates; Truluck’s Seafood, Steak and Crab House
Education- University of Phoenix; Washington Mutual Bank
Community Relations- Fox 7; Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody; KXAN

Large Business:
Innovation- Silicon Laboratories, Inc.; Time Warner Cable; Yellow Cab
Customer Service- Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Hoover’s, Inc.; Texas Gas Service
Education- Bracewell & Giuliani; Wells Fargo
Community Relations- Applied Materials, Inc.; Temple-Inland, Inc.; Time Warner Cable
Environment- DPR Construction, Inc.; IBM Corporation; Texas Disposal Systems

Not-for-Profit:
Innovation- Capital IDEA;, City of Austin- Solid Waste Services; Rawson-Saunders School
Customer Service- Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority; TG; University Co-Operative Society
Education- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas; Housing Authority of the City of Austin; Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo
Community Relations- Assistance League of Austin; Impact Austin; Meals on Wheels and More

Freescale Non-Profit Award:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas
Meals on Wheels and More
Town Lake Trail Foundation

The Chamber thanks Media Sponsor: Austin American-Statesman. Title Sponsors: Freescale Semiconductor, Jackson Walker LLP and Wells Fargo. Sustaining Sponsors: Austin Energy, H-E-B and Wachovia, N.A. Contributing Sponsors: Colliers Oxford Commercial and Gameplan Marketing & Events. Partner Sponsors: Temple-Inland, Inc. and Time Warner Business Class. Thanks to Frost Bank for sponsoring the VIP reception.