Better Business Bureau Great West + Pacific (BBBGW+P) announced five Oregon business winners for the 2022 Torch Awards, and one winner for the Luminare Award for Service.
- Webfoot Concrete Coatings — Large Business of the Year
- Bridge City Law l Accident & Injury Lawyers — Small Business of the Year
- Brandefined– Medium Business of the Year
- Klaus Roofing Systems of Oregon — Medium Business of the Year
- O’Brien Bookkeeping Services — Spark Recipient
- William Kendall, The Artist Mentorship Program — Luminare Recipient
The Torch Awards for Ethics is the most prestigious honor BBBGW+P bestows on businesses operating within its eight-state service area. Winners must demonstrate a high level of personal character, meet the highest standards of ethics and build trust with their customers and the community.
In addition, BBB in partnership with BBB Wise Giving Alliance is thrilled to launch the new BBB Luminare Award for Service that honors individuals who have made a meaningful impact through their charitable qualities.
BBBGW+P received 326 submissions for the Torch Award and accepted more than a dozen nominations for the BBB Luminare Award.
“The celebration of Torch and Luminare Awards is an inspiring time. It was truly remarkable to see how each of this year’s award winners set the standard for what it means to be an exemplary and trustworthy business. We hope this recognition encourages more businesses to make a daily commitment to upholding integrity in the marketplace,” said Tyler Andrew, president and CEO of BBBGW+P.
“The Luminare Award for Service finds and celebrates community leaders who prioritize philanthropy and make a real impact in their community. We are thrilled to shine a light on several community heroes this year,” added Andrew.
For the Torch Awards, each organization was asked to supply responses to prompts focused on their team’s character, culture, customer engagement and community involvement.
Webfoot Concrete Coatings, established in 2018 in Bend, provides high-performance concrete coatings for both interior and exterior residential and commercial spaces. “Webfoot is committed to supporting our communities and providing the best service every time,” said Owner and CEO Travis Ulrich. “Our process is intent on constant and clear communication and our install teams function as a ‘three-man dance’ who pride themselves on quality work.”
Bridge City Law l Accident & Injury Lawyers, established in 1998 in Portland, creates positive social change by contributing to community programs that elevate and advance equity and inclusivity, compassionately meeting human needs. “We help our clients who have been injured in an accident navigate a complex legal system by providing legal expertise and guidance, so they can focus on regaining their health and wellbeing,” said owner and CEO, Jim Dwyer. “We are a group of legal professionals who choose to work together because we share the same values about how people deserve to be treated.”
Brandefined, established in 2011 in Beaverton, is a creative agency and technology development company for small business. “Brandefined is proud of our rating with the BBB and other review boards because we take a unique approach in this crowded vertical,” said owner and CEO, Michael Clancy. “We’ve spent 11 years working to be our clients’ sounding board, as well as their own ad agency.”
Klaus Roofing Systems of Oregon, established in 2020 in Eugene, strives to make sure that every homeowner has a superior roofing system installed the “Klaus Roofing Way.” “It is our vision to provide a world of weather-tight and worry-free roofs,” said owner and CEO Josh Lowe. “At Klaus Roofing Systems of Oregon, we train staff based off our four core values: honesty, dedication, positivity and resourcefulness.”
O’Brien Bookkeeping Services, established in 2018 in Springfield, provides bookkeeping and consulting services for small businesses in the Eugene/Springfield area. “As a business owner, I treat all my clients with respect for their race, religion, beliefs, disabilities, political opinions and gender,” said Owner and CEO Angela O’Brien. “In the field of finances, it is extremely important to pay attention to detail, make as few mistakes as possible, and when a mistake is found, to own up to it, learn from it and try to avoid it in the future.”
William Kendall, has built connections with thousands of youths ages 15-25, who have experienced trauma as a result of being homeless. “In 1994, I started a non-profit music and arts program (AMP) that has connected musicians and artists to youth experiencing homelessness and we have trained volunteers to build support systems that help youth to build self-worth, heal trauma and navigate out of homelessness,” said William Kendall.
Torch and Luminare winners from each state were announced as part of a virtual ceremony held on Oct. 27, 2022. Learn more about the impact of the BBB Torch Awards from previous winners featured in the “Passing the Torch” video series.
About Better Business Bureau: For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau, a private, non-profit organization, has upheld high standards for fair and honest business practices. BBB provides objective advice on more than 5.3 million companies and 11,000 charities, dispute resolution services, consumer alerts and educational information on topics related to marketplace trust. There are local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
