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LIGHTNING PHOTOS: Chamber salutes fast-growing companies

Joe Guy presents award to Graham Mew of ASG Strategies.

From well-known, established brands like Boyd Chevrolet to creative startups that are making a profit by finding a niche, the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce honored 13 businesses with its annual Blue Ridge Business Growth Awards on Monday at Southern Appalachian Brewery.

The Rising Star awards for new businesses went to ASG Strategies Inc., a business consulting firm with offices in downtown Hendersonville that started in 2013, and the Garage Authority, a four-year-old Horse Shoe-based company that helps homeowners make the best use of their garage space.
Winners of the business growth awards were:

  • Advantage Printing. A commercial printing company started in 1981, Advantage has grown to employ 16 fulltime and three parttime people and has grown by 25 percent in each of the past two years.
  • Boyd Chevrolet Cadillac Buick. Founded in 1932, the company grew from 43 fulltime employees in 2011 to 58 at the end of last year and added its new $6 million 27,000-square-foot showroom.
  • Carolina Blue Design Group. Founded in 2011, the designers have experienced steady growth. It recently designed the new town seal for Saluda.
  • ETS Networks. Since it incorporated in 2010, the company has seen steady growth, including double-digit growth over the last three years.
  • The Green Room Café and Coffeehouse. Opened in 2012, the Main Street café saw a 60 percent growth last year over 2013.
  • Hampton Inn. In business on Sugarloaf Road since 1994, the Hampton has seen significant growth over the past three years. It has 24 fulltime and six part-time employees.
  • Horizon Heating and Air Conditioning. In business since 2010, Horizon had logged double-digit growth in each of the past three years and currently has 30 employees.
  • Legal Shield. Under Legal Shield rep Dave Jordan, the company recorded growth of 30 percent in 2012, 45 percent in 2013 and 65 percent last year.
  • Lulu’s Consignment Boutique. Established in 2006, the Fletcher store has grown to a work force of five fulltime and 18 part-time employees and added a second store.
  • Mill House Lodge. The Flat Rock motel and cottages have had strong growth over the past three years and expects big growth this year.
  • Mountain Credit Union. The member-owned credit union reported 40 percent growth in 2012, 4 percent growth in 2013 and 46 percent in 2014 and forecasts 12 percent growth this year.