By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

The Clermont Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual business meeting and small business awards Feb. 6.

The event will include the Chamber’s annual meeting, the awards and a presentation from John Pepper, retired chairman and CEO of Proctor & Gamble.

The small business awards are presented to companies in the community that have displayed excellence in innovation, customer service and emerging excellence, Cyn Macke, director of member services for the Chamber, said.

Award winners were chosen by the small business development committee.

“We take nominations starting in the late summer and bring a committee together and review the categories and make our selection through the committee process,” John Melvin, small business development director, said.

Award recipients for this year include Auxier Gas, Clermont County Public Library, Grant Career Center, AIM MRO and Mt. Carmel Brewing Company.

Auxier Gas and Clermont County Public Library will receive the Excellence in Customer Service Award.

“Auxier has been around for many years,” Melvin said. “It’s a great example of a family-owned business. They go out of their way to try to make sure their customers are supplied particularly in the winter time.”

The Clermont County Public Library does a great job being involved in the entire Clermont County community, Melivin said.

Grant Career Center and AIM MRO will receive the Excellence in Innovation Award.

AIM MRO is a new company already working on giving back to the community, Melvin said.

“Grant Career Center is a very essential part of the fabric in the Bethel/Williamsburg area,” Melvin said. “They are a big contributor over the years to advancing education.”

Mt. Carmel Brewing Company will receive the Emerging Excellence Award.

“Mt. Carmel is a relatively young business, one of the first, or the first, microbrewery in the Cincinnati area,” Melvin said. “They’ve carved themselves a nice niche. We’re pleased to have them in the county.”

John Pepper will be the keynote speaker at the event and will be talking about early childhood development, Macke said.

“There’s so much that happens with a child in the first six years of life,” Macke said. “Kids who start behind in kindergarten often stay behind.”

Macke said the event is open to the public. Tickets are $55 for Chamber members and $75 for non-members.

For more information, visit clermontchamber.com.