March 28, 2024

Chamber celebrates, awards businesses of Newton

It was a very cold night, but with warm greetings and celebration at the annual Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas party and award ceremony held at the Innovation Center. The Christmas party brought a number of the Chamber business owners and employees to celebrate the season and the end of 2013 before preparing for the business of the new year with the upcoming 116th annual business dinner.

“We’re going with a whole new format by approving the new Chamber Board members at the chamber breakfast to be held Jan. 9 over at DMACC,” Executive Director Darrell Sarmento said. “At the dinner we will discuss the future vision of Newton with different things we’re working on from the Main Street to the City Comprehensive Plan, housing initiatives, NDC, and NHDC is working on for us to look forward for the following year and for following years.”

It was the second annual Business Awards Ceremony for the Chamber. The Chamber had awards in eight categories that includes; Curb Appeal, Non-Profit, Social Media, Marketing, Small Business Retail, Large Business Retail, Staff Development, and Community Champion.

The multiple award winner on the night included Skiff Medical Center, which tied for 2nd Runner Up in Curb Appeal and 1st Place in the Social Media. Skiff Medical Center CEO Steve Long was on hand to accept the awards for Skiff Medical Center.

“They do an incredible job on community building and share on other great things happening in the community,” Sarmento said “We just can’t say enough on what they do for our community.”

Newton Village was another multiple award winner tying with Skiff on Curb Appeal for 2nd Runner Up, and winning first place in the Marketing Award. Activities Director Annette West received the awards on behalf of Newton Village.

“They were runner up last year. Marketing hasn’t been just to promote their business, but they have been doing their own fundraising campaign, which they exceeded their goal,” Sarmento said “Always involved with being a Chamber Ambassador and always a partner in the community.”

The City of Newton was another multiple award winner, which won 1st Runner Up in Social Media and 2nd Runner Up in Staff Development. Management of Analyst for the city of Newton Natalie Umsted accepted the Social Media Award. City Administrator Bob Knabel and City Clerk Katrina Davis, who also serves as the city’s Human Resource Director, accepted the award for Staff Development.

“They’re not a business, but an active member in our Chamber, one of their employees is a Chamber ambassador,” said Sarmento. “They have done an incredible job on Facebook, reaching out into the community.”

Sarmento gave an update on Main Street. The Main Street Initiative Launch team is within $13,000 dollars of the goal. The deadline for the pledges is set for today at 5:00 p.m.

“We need pledges from $25 to $2,500,” Sarmento said. “We are $13,000 away from hitting our $80,000 a year goal, Main Street is a state-wide program that works.”

Sarmento talked on an experience he had in Des Moines talking with workers about how do you get your town to get behind helping the community.

The last multiple award winner was Hy-Vee. They won for Large Business Retail and was awarded a special Community Champion award.

“They do so much for the community and we wanted to add something on to their certificate and recognize them as a community champion,” Sarmento said. “When you add up everything that they donate and discount to the community it would be up to $40,000 to $50,000 a year.”

“We’re the state capitol we all give to make sure everyone can be proud of our state capitol,” Sarmento said. “We’re the county seat and we want all to be proud as people come and do business at our courthouse.”

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Individual Winners included

1st Runner Up Curb Appeal: Centre for Arts & Artists

1st Place Curb Appeal: Newton Manufacturing

2nd Runner Up Non Profit: United Way of Jasper County

1st Runner Up Non Profit: Jasper County RSVP

1st Place Non Profit: Progress Industries

2nd Runner Up Social Media: Newton Daily News

1st Runner Up Marketing: Hanson Directory

2nd Runner Up Small Business Retail: Farmers Wife

1st Runner Up Small Business Retail: Capitol 2 Theatre

1st Place Small Business Retail: Mode Huis

1st Runner Up Staff Development: Jasper Construction

1st Place Staff Development: TPI Composites

2nd Runner Up Community Champion: Great Western Bank

1st Runner Up Community Champion: E-Clips

1st Place Community Champion: Integrated Treatment Services