Local organizations honored for dedication to integrity and ethical business
practices.
The Torch Awards for Ethics is the most prestigious honor BBBGWP bestows on businesses and charities operating within its eight-state service area. Winners are selected based on their commitment to operational integrity and ethical business practices.
Media Contacts:
Logan Hickle, PR and Communications Manager | logan.hickle@thebbb.org
Whitney Slade, Communications Director | pr-communications@thebbb.org
PORTLAND, OR. Oct 28, 2021 - Better Business Bureau Great West + Pacific (BBBGWP) has named five businesses and one charity as winners of the 2021 Torch Awards for the state of Oregon.
Help Elevate Learning Processing, Inc. - Small Business of the Year
Lowes Weatherization, Inc. – Medium Business of the Year
Neil Kelly Company – Large Business of the Year
Control Techs NW - Spark Recipient
St Helens Hemp Works LLC. – Spark Recipient
REACH Community Development – Charity of the Year
The Torch Awards for Ethics is the most prestigious honor BBBGWP bestows on businesses and charities operating within its eight-state service area. Winners are selected based on their commitment to operational integrity and ethical business practices.
“We were thrilled to receive more than 300 Torch Awards submissions this year from businesses and charities alike,” said Tyler Andrew, president and CEO of BBBGWP. “It was truly inspiring to learn how each business makes a daily commitment to not only uphold ethical business practices, but also embody the true meaning of integrity. We hope this recognition helps the winners and finalists stand out in their local communities and encourage more businesses to operate with those same principles.”
Each organization was asked to supply responses to prompts focused on their team's character, culture, customer engagement, and community involvement.
Help Elevate Learning Processing, Inc., established in 1984 in Marylhurst, provides drug free solutions to processing, learning, and memory challenges. “A huge part of working with our students and their families is providing a safe, and confidential outlet for them to explore, process, and work through their feelings, their challenges, and sometimes their guilt of past mistakes. Confidentiality is of the utmost concern,” said Assistant Director, Charlene Smith.
Lowes Weatherization, Inc., established in 2006 in Eugene, is part of the Dr. Energy Saver network and ranked #3 in 2020 out of 100 dealers nationwide. “Every person in every department has a vital role in giving customers over-the-top, friendly service,” said Director of Business Development, Kathleen Downey. “With every contact, we practice an empathetic concern to not just satisfy, but ‘Wow’ them beyond what is expected in every way.”
Neil Kelly Company, established in 1974 in Alberta, is the largest residential design-build remodeling firm in the Northwest. “Prioritizing people – employees, clients, business partners, and community members –is core to our company’s values and culture. We’re grateful that, during a tough time, we had an opportunity to put our people first. And we’re proud to say we did,” said Marketing Director, Don Scharff.
Control Techs NW, established in 2018 in Clackamas, centers their customer experience around the most important value to them, “Our employees and clients are like family; our friendly and considerate attitude extends beyond the walls of our company to the homes of our clients,” said Office Manager, Cate Nelson. “We are committed to be of service to others.”
St Helens Hemp Works LLC., established in 2017 in St. Helens, is one of the nation’s first CO2 hemp processing companies to become USDA Certified Organic. “Even with the [high] cost of testing, we never considered the pros and cons for even a minute,” said Owner, Mike Stoedter. “Honoring our commitment to our customers and clients remained paramount, we proceeded to educate the accredited testing labs on regulations for testing hemp as well as our peers.”
REACH Community Development, established in 1982 in Portland, has developed and preserved more than 2,700 rental apartment units and helped ensure they remain permanently affordable. “REACH works to build systems that support and enhance housing stability, prevent loss of housing, and create an environment that encourages people to engage in community activities and access health and wellness resources,” said Fundraising & PR Manager, Lauren Schmidt.
Torch Awards winners from each state were announced as part of a virtual ceremony held on Oct. 28, 2021. Learn more about the impact of the BBB Torch Awards from previous winners featured in the “Passing the Torch” video series.
ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust. In 2020, people turned to BBB more than 160 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. There are local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including BBB Great West & Pacific, which serves more than 20 million consumers in Alaska, Central Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Western Wyoming.
