Banner Business Sponsored by The Boston Foundation
The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce honored six local firms this month with Small Business of the Year awards in categories that included cultural excellence, community impact and CEO leadership.
“Congratulations to the Chamber’s 2024 Small Business of the Year honorees,” said Boston Chamber CEO James E. Rooney. “The Chamber is proud to recognize and celebrate these six businesses that represent the meaningful contributions of small businesses to our workforce, consumers and economy. Our small businesses advance our vibrancy and competitiveness, ensuring that transformative jobs and opportunities uplift our communities every day.”
The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce has several programs supporting minority business enterprises in the city and state. Its Pacesetters program aims to achieve an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform systemic opportunity for minority business enterprises.
Highlighting successful MBEs in the state helps businesses grow and encourages others to start businesses, a huge need in the state. When it comes to Black business ownership, Massachusetts continues to lag behind the nation. Black and Latino business owners make up only 3% of business owners in the state, less than half the national rate, according to GBH.
The award categories and honorees included:
Community Impact:
Privé Parking
Privé Parking provides parking solutions, transportation consulting, parking garage plan design, and strategic collaboration with neighborhoods and local government. Privé Parking drives community impact by providing youth internships, mentorship and guidance, which encourages young individuals to gain valuable experience and develop their skills.
Innovation & Growth:
OnyxGroup Development and Realty
The OnyxGroup builds quality affordable housing while preserving culture and community. Designing new developments in Foxborough, Nubian Square and Brockton, the OnyxGroup is committed to ensuring that the developments also bring meaningful opportunities for residents and communities. With their housing developments, the OnyxGroup drives lasting impact by intentionally increasing quality jobs, financial resources, and education and trade opportunities.
CEO Leadership:
RoseMark Production
Working with some of the world’s leading companies, leading politicians and government entities, RoseMark Production is a woman-owned and minority-owned events firm that specializes in national and international major political and philanthropic events. Rose Staram, founder and owner of RoseMark, is a celebrated and sought-after strategic planner of high impact events. With headquarters in Dorchester, Staram successfully leads her team to create large-scale events, including the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Studio Luz Architects
Studio Luz Architects specializes in architecture, urban design and community engagement, and over the years has worked with a variety of businesses and institutions, including Wellesley College, Sociedad Latina and more. Founded in 2002, Studio Luz consistently collaborates with clients, engineers, contractors and the community to ensure that architecture provides a voice for underrepresented members of the community. In addition to focusing on community, the team at Studio Luz embraces innovation and champions inclusivity to create remarkable architecture and spaces.
Small Business Champion:
LJV Development, LLC
LJV Development is a solution-based construction management firm that prioritizes collaboration and integrating tech-enabled processes to build efficiently. With a construction portfolio that includes federal, institutional and commercial projects, this veteran-owned, woman-owned and minority-owned company prioritizes collaboration with small businesses on projects of all types and sizes.
