MADISON – Several businesses were honors recently during the Madison Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Best in Business Awards at Insanity Complex. Held, Oct. 22, the awards dinner and presentations was attended by hundreds of North Alabama business professionals and community leaders as they recognized the area’s top businesses this year.

The evening began with a cocktail hour followed by a buffet-style dinner from the Madison City Culinary Program students and catered by the Insanity Food and Beverage Department. The man course for the evening was, of course, the awards presentation.

John Malone, on-air personality for iHeartMedia, served as the emcee for the event.

The featured speaker of the event was Clayton Hinchman, CEO of Black Patch Distilling Company.

Black Patch Distilling was founded by Hinchman and his father, Gary Cooper. His wife, Leslie, serves as the company’s president. A decorated U.S Army veteran turned business owner, Hinchman described the transition he faced after being wounded in combat and losing a leg, to owning a technology company, selling it and then realizing his dream with his father in Black Patch Distillery located on Lanier Drive in Madison.

Hinchman also described the mentality it take to be successful in business and life.

“I will tell you how I define success,” he told the crowd. “In the past ten years, I do not wake up to an alarm clock. Every day of my life I wake up excited to go to work, to go to the gym and to be with my family — all the challenges we have to face on a daily basis, I enjoy that. I wake up excited every morning.”

He continued by telling the business professionals at the event if they want to be successful in business and make it they have to focus on taking care of their employees and customer satisfaction. “We you start talking about all the things you are going to buy and all the money you are going to have with all the success you are going to experience, you are going to fail,” he said.

The following is a list of this year’s winners starting with the overall winners, followed by the finalists in each category:

Winners:

Start-up of the Year: Capital Management Services

Community Servant of the Year: Daniel Kasambira (Hogan Family YMCA)

Health and Wellness Business of the year: Hot Yoga DeLux and Cryotherapy

Medical Practice of the Year: Compass Physical Therapy

Essential Service Business of the Year: Conditioned Air Solutions

Professional Business of the Year: Signalink, Inc.

Culinary Business of the Year: The Dessert Fork

Excellence in Leadership and Service: Janine Nesin – Nesin Therapy Service

Arts, Entertainment & Hospitality: iheartMedia

Best Non-Profit of the Year: Union Chapel Christian Academy

Best Small Business of the Year: Mozaic Audio/Video Integration

Best Business of the Year: Signalink, Inc.

Ambassador of the Year: Maria Mares with Continental Roofing Company and Buis Cabinet Company

Finalists

Start-up of the Year: Black Patch Distilling Company

Community Servant of the Year: Michelle Linville (Big Brothers/Big Sisters of North Alabama)

Health and Wellness Business of the year: Madison Health Mart Pharmacy

Medical Practice of the Year: Good Samaritan Hospice of Madison

Essential Service Business of the Year: Turf Tamer, Inc.

Professional Service Business of the Year: Two Men And A Truck

Culinary Business of the Year: Insanity Complex

Excellence in Leadership and Service: Cassie Scott – Quadrus Corporation

Arts, Entertainment & Hospitality: Insanity Complex

Best Non-Profit of the Year: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of North Alabama

Best Small Business of the Year: Air Essentials, Inc.

Best Business of the Year: Conditioned Air Solutions

The big honor went to Signalink, Inc, who won the Business of the Year and Professional Business of the Year. “We are so honored to receive the Professional Service Business of the Year and the Best Business of the Year awards,” Signalink, Inc said on their Facebook page with the hastag #blessed.

“When strong, successful businesses support the chamber, we can continue to provide the opportunities and resources that up-and-coming businesses need to join your ranks and work together to ensure that Madison continues to thrive and grow amidst all the incredible changes the next few years will bring to our community,” said Pam Honeycutt, executive director of the Madison Chamber of Commerce.