ATHENS, Alabama -- The Business Council of Alabama's Small Business Committee has nominated Turner Medical Inc. of Athens for the 2012 Dream Big Small Business of the Year award.
The award, presented annually by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, recognizes the nation's small businesses and their contributions to economic growth.
"Existing Alabama industries like Turner Medical are the backbone of our economy," said BCA president and CEO William J. Canary, in a release. "As we continue to recover from this economy, it is imperative to recognize the small businesses that continue to fuel the economic engine of Alabama."
According to the BCA, Turner Medical, faced with supplying an obsolete niche market, transitioned from a supplier of automated equipment for the automotive and appliance industries to a manufacturer of surgical instruments for the medical industry. The firm began working exclusively in the medical industry in 2008.
In 2010, the BCA named Turner Medical the Small Alabama Manufacturer of the Year
The Dream Big award is presented to a small business that puts an emphasis on staff training and motivation, community involvement, customer service, business strategies and goals, and financial performance and business history.
The award will be presented in Washington, D.C. on May 22 during the America's Small Business Summit.