The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce announced its 2009 Business of the Year Award Winners on Thursday at the Chamber's 2010 Annual Meeting.

The Chamber presents Business of the Year Awards to outstanding members in the small, mid-size, large and newcomer business categories. The Chamber and its Foundation for a Sustainable Community also presented the 2009 Progress Energy Sustainable Business of the Year Award.

A Better Image Printing is the 2009 Progress Energy Sustainable Business of the Year.

DSI Comedy is the 2009 Business of the Year in the small business category.

Tyler's Restaurant and Taproom is the 2009 Business of the Year in the mid-size business category.

Piedmont Health Services in the 2009 Business of the Year in the large business category.

TABLE, Inc. is the 2009 Business of the Year in the newcomer business category.

Irene Briggaman, community volunteer, is the 2009 Chamber Ambassador of the year.

Finalists for the 2009 Business of the Year Award in the small category are Community Home Trust, DSI Comedy, and Herndon Construction.

Finalists in the mid-size category are Great Outdoor Provision Co., the Orange County Skills Development Center/JobLink Career Center, and Tyler's Restaurant and Taproom.

Finalists in the large category are the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA, Piedmont Health Services, and Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery.

Finalists in the newcomer category are Chapel Hill Printing and Graphics, Great Harvest Bread Co., and TABLE, Inc.

The Chamber's Membership Committee met Jan. 19 to elect three finalists in each category from a pool of nominees.

The Chamber Board of Directors elected winners - via secret ballot - at its Jan. 21 meeting.

The Business of the Year Awards are presented to the outstanding chamber member businesses that, having been under the same ownership or management for at least three years, have shown growth, innovation of product, exemplary customer service, response to adversity, and/or contribution to the community.

The small category is open to organizations with ten or fewer employees; the mid-size category to organizations with 11-25 employees, and the large to organizations with 26 or more employees.

The Business Newcomer of the Year Award is presented to the outstanding chamber member organization - less than three years old - that has shown innovation in its field, creativity in its start up, likelihood of long term success, and contribution to the community.

Ambassadors are highly visible, prestigious volunteers who serve as the chamber's primary liaison to new chamber members.

Considered the goodwill arm of the Chamber, the Ambassador committee plays an essential role in member recruitment, communication and retention.

Upon their appointment, each Ambassador makes a commitment to build lasting relationships with the membership, particularly new chamber members, in order to build a loyal, committed membership base that will continue to support and in the chamber.