Wayco Ham is Wayne's small business of year
By Sam Atkins
Published in News on June 18, 2004 1:59 PM
Wayco Ham Co. has been selected the small business of the year by the Wayne Community College Small Business and Industry Center.
The college also gave Goldsboro Drug Co. special recognition and The Royal Tea Rooms the award for the most attractive small business.
The awards were presented Thursday at the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours social. The chamber co-sponsors the event.
News-Argus/Sam Atkins
From left, Steve Hicks, president of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, joins Barbara Rice, owner of The Royal Tea Rooms, which won the 2004 "Most Attractive Small Business Award"; Tony Worrell, owner of Wayco Ham Co., which won the 2004 "Small Business of the Year Award"; and Dr. Ed Wilson, president of Wayne Community College.
This is the ninth year the college has presented the awards as a way to recognize small businesses in the county. To qualify, a business must be based and operated in the county with 100 or fewer employees and must have been in business for a minimum of one year.
The small business of the year award is given to the business that has demonstrated excellent entrepreneurial accomplishments through business practices, customer service and community involvement.
Wayco Ham has been on William Street in Goldsboro since 1946. The majority of its hams are sold to chain stores and food distributors. During the holidays, its mail-order business increases dramatically throughout the country, with thousands of individual customers and companies ordering them.
It participates in the Family Y, Community Arts Council, United Way of Wayne County and is a Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. De-Rail-a-Bration sponsor. Tony Worrell, owner, accepted the award.
The award for most attractive is given to a business that enhances the county's appearance, and the special recognition award is given to the business that deserves recognition for its contribution to the county.
The Royal Tea Rooms' attractiveness is in its place settings, historic walls and ceilings, the server's attire, the fine china and decorations, and the food presentations. It is in the historical Solomon Weil House, which was built in 1875. Barbara Rice, owner, accepted the award.
Goldsboro Drug Co., owned by Charles Raynor, Robert Worley and the Smith family, is the oldest locally owned business in Goldsboro.
It provides many things for its customers, including free city-wide delivery, a full-service pharmacy, discount prices and child-care discounts. It supports the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, United Way of Wayne County and Wayne County Board of Health. Fletcher Bizzell accepted the award on the company's behalf.
Members from the college's Business and Industry Advisory Council selected the winners from anonymous nominations.
Award recipients receive education credit at Wayne Community, a plaque, are on Time Warner cable channel PACC-10 TV, inclusion on a permanent plaque at the college and other prizes. The Small Business of the Year winner is given a free basic membership in the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce.