Marilyn Kohn Properties, Red Carpet Car Wash, And CEFCU

Named As Winners of the

2009 Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Business Integrity

The awards were presented at a dinner held at the Hotel Pere Marquette, attended by nearly 200 area business leaders, on February 5, 2009. Pete Blackshaw, President of the Council of Better Business Bureaus Board of Directors, was the keynote speaker for the event and gave a presentation about consumer generated media and its relevance to businesses. Pete is also the author of “Satisfied Customers Tell 3 Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3000”.

“Marilyn Kohn Properties, Red Carpet Car Wash, and CEFCU competed against other like sized businesses in three categories to be selected by an independent panel of judges comprised of area business leaders,” said Bonnie Bakin, President and CEO of the Central Illinois Better Business Bureau, which serves 36 counties in central Illinois. “The winning companies were deemed to exercise integrity and consistently meet very high standards in their relationships with customers, employees, vender/suppliers, industry peers and our community.”

Bruce Leman, of Schieler & Rassi Quality Builders, was named recipient of the Jeff Bell Customer Service Award. Jeff “Bubba” Bell, died in 2006. He worked at Coleman Printing for 24 years and was a long time supporter of the BBB. His dedication to his family, community and customer service was extraordinary.

The Partners in Trust award was presented to the WEEK-TV. Each year the BBB relies heavily on the local media to provide educational materials, scam alerts, and warnings, to the entire community. “This year the Board of Directors has decided to recognize one Central Illinois business of the media who has excelled in assisting the BBB with our mission” said Bonnie Bakin.

Mr. Joe Smith was honored as the Arbitrator of the Year. A key component of the BBB’s operation is its dispute resolution program. This successful program would not be possible without our volunteer arbitrators. The Arbitrator of the Year Award, this year goes to a dedicated professional, who has volunteered his time for nearly 3 years, and has been committed to enforcing high standards of ethical behavior in the marketplace.

Bremer Jewelry was the winner of the 2009 Truth in Advertising Award. This award was given to a company that best personifies the BBB’s mission of promoting honest and ethical advertising in the marketplace.

The panel of judges was comprised of members of the BBB Board of Directors, faculty from the Foster College of Business Administration at Bradley University, the Journal Star, and area business leaders. Nominations were received from employees, customers and vendors recommending companies throughout Central Illinois. Winners of this event will participate in the 2010 Better Business Bureau’s International Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics program.

About the BBB Torch Award: