BY MIKE WARREN

EDITOR

MARSHFIELD – Both of Marshfield’s business and promotional organizations recently celebrated last year’s successes while also looking ahead to 2023. Within a week of one another in late January and early February, Main Street Marshfield and the Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry held their annual awards and recognition banquets, highlighting new and successful businesses and milestone anniversaries, celebrating their volunteers and handing out some hardware along the way.

Main Street took a look back at 2022, during its annual Downtown Marshfield Awards banquet, held Jan. 26 at Blodgett Haus, known formerly as Penny Court.

Executive Director Kaelie Gomez highlighted new downtown businesses Board & Brush Creative Studio, Dave’s Guitar Shop, Northside Cycle, Kailey’s Kandles & Company and Silent Crow Antiques, while also recognizing twenty businesses which celebrated milestone anniversaries in 2022. They included Hefko Floral Company (110 years), The Baltus Oil Company (95), Heinzen Printing & Promotional (90), Roger’s Cinema (50), Wiggles ‘N’ Wags (45) and Nutz Deep II (40).

Endless Designs was also recognized statewide, as a winner of the Best Storefront Display Award from Main Street Wisconsin.

Gomez also handed out annual local awards in eleven different categories. Among them, Amy Krogman – who recently retired from City of Marshfield employment – was named Main Street’s Downtown Employee of the Year for 2022. Paul Knoff, Sales Director for Bauernfeind Business Technologies, was named the group’s Volunteer of the Year, while Kelly Korth of Simplicity Credit Union was honored as Main Street Board Member of the Year. Lyle and Julie Lang received the annual Spirit of Giving award. Kris Leonhardt, Senior Editor for Hub City Times’ parent company Multi Media Channels, was given the John Christner Historian Award, for her efforts in preserving, documenting and promoting local history. Main Street’s Commitment to Hospitality Award went to The Kitchen Table, while The Day Spa Boutique & Merle Norman Cosmetics earned Commitment to Design honors. Ben and Ashley Fredrick were honored with Main Street’s Outstanding Residential Renovation Award, for the work they did on a second-story apartment at 331 S. Central Ave. Outstanding Business Renovation honors went to Board & Brush Creative Studio and Off The Mat Yoga. The Marshfield Garden Club was given the organization’s Partnership of the Year Award.

Jenna Hanson was also recognized as the outgoing board President, by incoming President Brad Remmen. Gomez also announced that longtime MACCI colleagues Debbie Bauer, Karen Olson and Karen Isaacson will serve as this year’s marshals for the annual Holiday Parade held in December.

MACCI, meanwhile, took its turn in handing out some hardware, during the Chamber’s 77th annual meeting, held Feb. 1 at the Eagles Club on South Oak Avenue.

Dental Crafters was announced as MACCI’s Firm of the Year for 2023. Founded in 1989, the company has grown from 16 employees to 130. Dental Crafters will be honored at a banquet this fall.

Also recognized was Heinzen Printing & Promotional, introduced as the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year for 2023. This locally-owned, family business has been serving the Marshfield community for over 90 years, and in 2022 opened a second location to better serve their customers in south Wood County. Owners Keith and Elena Le Moine and their employees will be honored during a special recognition breakfast this spring.

MACCI’s annual Service Award, first initiated by the Small Business Council in 1995 to recognize individuals who have made a positive impact on the Marshfield community through their volunteer efforts and community service activities, went to Rhonda Urlaub. Among many other activities, Urlaub participates in many MACCI and community events and activities, is a board member of Main Street Marshfield, as well as a MACCI “Red Coat” Ambassador.

MACCI’s 2023 Leadership Marshfield Alumnus of the Year honor was awarded to Kris Leonhardt, Multi Media Channels Senior Editor. Leonhardt is a 2018 Leadership Marshfield graduate. She is also a member of MACCI’s Crystal Apple selection committee, a MACCI Ambassador, volunteers at Howl-oween at Wildwood Zoo each October, serves as a “Big Sister” for Wood County Big Brothers/Big Sisters and is an award-winning advocate for historical preservation in Marshfield.