The City of Knoxville’s Purchasing Department held its first Supplier Excellence Awards Ceremony in 2016, to recognize small, women-owned and minority-owned businesses for outstanding performance, as well as City departments committed to reaching out to DBEs with procurement contracts.
The 10th Annual Supplier Excellence Awards Ceremony will be held on September 25, 2025 in the Marble Hall Chapel at Lakeshore Park. A light breakfast will be served at 8 a.m., and awards presented starting at 8:30 a.m.
The ceremony will recognize small, woman-owned, and minority-owned businesses for outstanding performance in helping the City meet one, or more, of its four stated core goals.
Also the ceremony will recognize City departments which have achieved either the highest dollar or highest percentage of competitive spend with those businesses.
| 2024 HONOREES |
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| ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD |
ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD |
Ron Ford's Office Supply Co., Inc.
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CEW Advertising
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| CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE |
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD |
Tootsie Co.
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Cannon & Cannon, Inc.
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| IMPACT AWARD |
MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD |
Edison Electric
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Spanish Language Solutions, Inc.
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| PARTNERSHIP AWARD |
RISING STAR AWARD |
Design and Construction Services, Inc. and Sanders Pace Architecture
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Heritage Roofing, Repairs and Maintenance Company
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| SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD |
WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR |
The Cor-Tenn Company
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Crown Upholstery
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| YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR |
CITY AWARDS |
Printing Image
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EMPLOYEE DBE ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD
Joel Asher, Parks and Recreation
HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF M/WOB EXPENDITURES
Large Spend - Fleet
Medium Spend - Engineering
Small Spend - Special Events
Micro Spend - Finance
DEPARTMENTS EXCEEDING 50% OF THEIR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING WITH SMALL BUSINESSES
Emergency Management
Law Department
Plans Review & Inspections
Risk & Employee Benefits
Special Events |
ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD - SCU Bus Lines
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD - Edison Electric
IMPACT AWARD - Southern Safety Supply
MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - ExpoQuip
RISING STAR AWARD - Trusted Field Services
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Progression Electric
WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Tennessee Fire Equipment & Safety Supplies
City Awards:
HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF M/WOB EXPENDITURES
Large Spend - Knoxville Fire Department
Medium Spend - Engineering
Small Spend - Special Events
Micro Spend - 311
EMPLOYEE ADVOCATE AWARD - Carla Jones / Fire Department
ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD - Bio Solutions Tennessee
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD - Dynasty Construction Inc.
IMPACT AWARD - Patrick O'Brien, M.D.
MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Edison Electric, LLC
PARTNERSHIP AWARD - Cannon & Cannon and Tish Spalding/SEsite, LLC
RISING STAR AWARD - Runners Market LLC
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Taylor’s Lawn Service
WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Southeastern Construction Concepts Corp
City Awards:
HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF M/WOB EXPENDITURES
Large Spend - Engineering
Medium Spend - Knoxville Area Transit
Small Spend - Benefits & Risk Management
Micro Spend - City Court
HIGHEST PERCENTAGE EXPENDITURES WITH SMALL BUSINESS - Housing & Neighborhood Development
DEPARTMENTS WITH OVER 50% OF THEIR FY22 DISCRETIONARY SPEND WITH SMALLL BUSINESSES
311, Plans Review & Inspections, Law, and Public Service
EMPLOYEE ADVOCATE AWARD - Joey Jones / Fire Department
ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD - National Building Service, Inc.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD - Edison Electric, LLC
IMPACT AWARD - Cox Power & Supply
MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - WJBE Radio
PARTNERSHIP AWARD - Progression Electric, LLC and Southern Constructors, Inc.
RISING STAR AWARD - Jefferson Farmers Cooperative
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Camel Custom Canvas
WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Allen Sign Company
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD - Integrated Response Systems, LLC
City Awards:
HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF M/WOB EXPENDITURES
Large Spend - Engineering Department
Medium Spend - Knoxville Public Building Authority
Small Spend - 311 Department
Micro Spend - City Court Department
EMPLOYEE ADVOCATE AWARD - Angie Davidson and Nicholas Spine
• RISING STAR AWARD - Marvin L. Thomas
• ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD - AVCO Technologies, Inc.
• MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Scientific Sales, Inc.
• WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - Saf-T Enterprises
• SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD - A & W Supply, Inc.
• IMPACT AWARD - Patriot Lawn Maintenance
• IMPACT AWARD - Shelton General Contractors
• YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD - Media Manipulation Studios
City Awards:
• HIGHEST SPEND WITH M/WOB’S (EXCEEDING $1M) AWARD- Engineering Department
• HIGHEST SPEND WITH M/WOB’S (UNDER $1M) AWARD - Fleet Services Department
• HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF SPEND WITH M/WOB’S (EXCEEDING $1M) AWARD - Public Building Authority
• HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF SPEND (UNDER $1M) AWARD - Inspections & Code Enforcement Department
• EMPLOYEE ADVOCATE AWARD - William Hinton
• Borderland Tee, Rising Star Award
• Service One, Above and Beyond Award
• Pioneer Builders, Inc., Minority Owned Business of the Year Award
• A-Z Office Resources, Inc., Woman-owned Business of the Year Award
• Washing Equipment of Tennessee, Small Business of the Year Award
• Knoxville Spring Service, Impact Award
• Siemens Mobility, Andres Electric and Edwards Supply, Partnership Award
City Awards:
• Sustainability, Advocate Award for large department category of highest spending with minority- and women-owned businesses.
• Plans Review & Inspections / Codes Enforcement, Advocate Award for small department category of highest spending with minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
• Sustainability, Advocate Award for large department category of highest percentage expenditures with minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
• 311 Center for Service Innovation, Advocate Award for small department category of highest percentage expenditures with minority- and women-owned businesses.
• Ben Buckner, Logistics and Supply Manager with Public Service, Employee Advocate of the Year Award
• Linda Blackburn, Senior Buyer in Purchasing, Employee Advocate of the Year Award
• Arrow Crane Services, Rising Star Award
• The Cor-Tenn Co., Above and Beyond Award
• Scientific Sales, Minority-owned Business of the Year Award
• Roadway Solutions, Woman-owned Business of the Year Award
• Design & Construction Services, Inc., Small Business of the Year Award
City Awards:
• Knoxville Area Transit (KAT), Advocate Award for large department category of highest spending with minority- and women-owned businesses.
• SMG, Advocate Award for small department category of highest spending with minority- and women-owned businesses.
• Policy & Redevelopment, Advocate Award for large department category of highest percentage expenditures with minority- and women-owned businesses.
• Plans Review & Inspections / Codes Enforcement, Advocate Award for small department category of highest percentage expenditures with minority- and women-owned businesses.
• Mike Bannon, KAT's director of maintenance, Employee Advocate of the Year Award
Click here to view more photos of the 2018 event
• Bentco Office Solutions, Rising Star Award
• Master Battery, Above and Beyond Award
• ExpoQuip, Minority-owned Business of the Year Award
• National Auto Parts, Woman-owned Business of the Year Award
• Southern Pump & Tank Co., Small Business of the Year Award
• Southern Constructors Inc. and Superior Traffic Control, Partnership Award
City Awards:
• City's Engineering Department, Advocate Award for large department category
• City's Office of Special Events, Advocate Award for small department category
• City's Parks and Recreation Department, Highest Percentage of Contracting for large department category
• City's Communications Department, Highest Percentage of Contracting for small department category
• Karen Briggs, Administrative Supervisor in Parks and Recreation, Employee Advocate of the Year Award
Click here to view more photos of the 2017 event
• K & W Cleaning Service, Rising Star Award
• Quantum Environmental & Engineering Services, Above & Beyond Award
• Eight Lane Consultants, Above and Beyond Award
• B & B Lawn Services, Inc., Minority-Owned Business Award
• Scientific Sales, Inc., Woman-Owned Business of the Year Award
• ExpoQuip, Inc., Small Business of the Year Award
• Johnson & Galyon, Inc. & First Place Finish, Partnership Award
City Awards:
• Community Relations Department, DBE Advocate Award
• Fleet Services, DBE Advocate Award
• City Court, DBE Most Improved Advocate Award
• Community Development, DBE Most Improved Advocate Award
• Gwen Winfrey, Community Development Senior Project Specialist, Employee Advocate Award
Click here to view more photos of the 2016 event