Faribault Area Chamber Announces Business of the Year Finalists

Nort Johnson, President/CEO of the Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism today announced on KDHL the finalists for the Faribault Buisness of the year.  Last year was the first year three finalists were announced and highlighted during the Business Awards Luncheon.

Johnson says the event was a smashing success because all three finalists get the attention they so richly deserve.  The three finalists this year are in no particular order:

Daikin Applied which many people remember as McQuay International.

Johnson says, "They've go two plants in Faribault now, they've got a plant in Owatonna.  What great corporate citizens they are.  Some of the things I found out in working with their staff, they're very engaged with the community.  They've gone about the way they do their manufacturing work with just very wonderful employee engagement.  They consider their employees, the workers in the plant as industrial athletes."

Jennie-O Turkey Store is another finalist for the Faribault Business of the Year Award.

Johnson was very complimentary, "I was privileged to learn some things about, again in a big way the way they manage their staff and treat and train their employees and what they do to keep them safe.  All kinds of wonderful things.  They have, Hormel is their corporate and they've got some things that they have done with staff for accommodations I guess you could call it in the workplace for different languages including sign language for those with hearing issues.  Through partnership and innovation with employees doing that work."

Lighthouse Strategic Solutions, LLC located in the Crossroads Professional Building in Faribault is the other finalist.

Kate Tonjum and Lisa Sammon run the company and Johnson commented, "They are a small business in town that runs at the absolute highest standards.  The highest standards with regard to different styles of management coaching, business coaching and other leadership seminar activities and other management activities that they do."

The Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Business Awards Luncheon will be Thursday, October 1, 2020, 11:00 a.m. at the American Legion Post 43.