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Chamber Honors Beltone, Publix

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By CARL ORTH, The Suncoast News

Published: February 23, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - The West Pasco Chamber of Commerce tapped Beltone Hearing Care Centers and the Publix supermarket in Southgate Shopping Center for its annual Business Of The Year awards Thursday night.

A crowd of nearly 200 also saw Bonnie Howard earn the honorary title Governor of West Pasco for garnering the most in the annual fundraising campaign. Julie Rogers was the runner-up.

Laurel Robinson and Greg Weiss represented Beltone, picking up the honor for businesses with fewer than 25 employees.

Beltone began here in 1973 with two employees and now has a staff of 15 and two locations - Universal Plaza and Chelsea Plaza - in the New Port Richey area. The company provides employees a bonus program, health insurance and a 401(k) plan.

Robinson represents the company on the chamber's board of directors. Beltone supports the Rotary Club of Trinity, PACE Center for Girls, the Community Service Council, and the chamber's ambassadors program and education committee.

Among The 'Best Companies'

Publix No. 1020, led by manager Brian Singletary, finished first among businesses with more than 26 employees. The store opened in 1965, growing from 85 employees to 170.

The supermarket's corporate parent offers employees health insurance, inventory and Christmas bonuses, 401(k) benefits and a stock purchase plan. One of the company's proudest achievements is being named one of Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies To Work For" in each of the past 11 years.

Publix's efforts to boost the chamber include being a gold medal sponsor of Chasco Fiesta for the past 14 years. The store also supports the Pasco County School District's Exceptional Student Education Program and assists numerous schools, churches, Scouting groups and other community organizations.

Singletary can boast that 14 former associates and department managers are store managers at other Publix locations.

Many successful business people have worked for Southgate Publix over the years, such as Chuck Grey, Chip Waller and current New Port Richey Mayor Dan Tipton, to name just a few.

Singletary is the only store manager to win the company's George W. Jenkins Award for Excellence and the Mr. George Community Service Award.

Other Nominees

In the smaller business category, other nominees were Commercial Asset Partners, Emotions to Life Photography, Master Mechanics, Pasco Camera Exchange, Tampa Bay Property Management, The Cleaning Pros, Krauss Organization, Tri-Star Capital & Trust Corp. and Women to Women PA.

Among the larger companies, other nominees were Genesis School, Hyundai of New Port Richey and Morton Plant North Bay Hospital.

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