Small Business Person of the Year Award Ceremony and Lunch & Learn on Operating a Virtual Business

Peter Macrae, 2020 Small Business Person of the Year

Join Chamber members, guests and community leaders on Thursday, July 30, for our Small Business Person of the Year Award ceremony, as we honor this year's award recipient, Peter Macrae, and salute small businesses everywhere for their contributions to our economy and our community.

The Chamber’s Small Business Person of the Year award program is one of the ways our organization demonstrates its support for small businesses and recognizes members who are succeeding, have shown growth, and are involved in the betterment of the Worthington community.

The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. and conclude at 1:30 p.m. The honoree will share with attendees some of the business philosophies and strategies that have led to success as a small business person.

About this year's honoree:

Nearly a decade before a global pandemic forced businesses to pivot to new models focused on virtual communications, a Worthington resident and community supporter pioneered a successful virtual model. It brought success to his architectural firm, attention to his profession, and flexibility to his work-life balance.

On July 30 — appropriately at a virtual ceremony conducted on Zoom — Peter Macrae will be honored as the 34th recipient of the Small Business Person of the Year Award from the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce.  Launched in 1987, the award honors Chamber member business owners (50 employees or fewer) who demonstrate business acumen and professional expertise, community service, innovation and exemplary business management skills. 

Peter S. Macrae, AIA, NCARB, has approximately 40 years of experience in architectural design, project management, and business development. His focus is on the acquisition and design of environmental projects, both nationally and internationally. As principal of Macrae ARCHitecture, LLC, he has led the design and development of several large-scale, mixed-use master plans in several states. His projects have won numerous national design awards and have been published in a variety of national and international publications.

Following a stint as president of TriAd Architects in central Ohio, Peter has, since 2011, worked from an office in the basement of his Worthington home, seamlessly running his business from a phone and/or laptop as he travels abroad or domestically, orchestrating a team of "solopreneurs" who are respected independent contractors working under the Macrae ARCHitecture brand to offer a collaborative service. His success in building the virtual business practice has brought him acclaim within his profession and opportunities to educate others about the potential of the virtual business model.

A former trustee and economic development committee chair for the Chamber, Peter took on the challenge of chairmanship of the Worthington Resource Pantry board in difficult circumstances, as the pandemic was looming. He has served on several other nonprofit boards and the Ohio Department of Education’s curriculum evaluation board.  

Please join the Zoom call at 11:30 a.m. on July 30 to congratulate Pete, celebrate his accomplishments, and participate in a Lunch-and-Learn style discussion to learn some of the ways a virtual business model might be successful for your organization. Registration is free for Chamber members but is required; registrants will receive login credentials for the call once their reservations are made. Guests may participate with a modest donation to the Chamber's scholarship fund. See the details at the REGISTER link on the Chamber's website calendar.

Reservations are required. Click the REGISTER NOW link on this page and follow the prompts on the reservation form. You will receive a confirming email when successfully registered. You may also reserve a place by calling the Chamber office at (614) 888-3040.

Honorees are selected by a committee of past award recipients. Past recipients of the award, and their businesses at the time of the award, are:

Dwight Moody (1987), Moody’s Paper Store (Deceased)
Steve Potter (1988), Potter Builders, Inc.
Tom Hull, D.D.S. (1989), Dental Practice
Joe Mezera (1990), The Mezera Company
Robert Vosler (1991), Vosler Company, CPAs (Deceased)
Raean M. Foust (1992), American Traditions
Richard Hunter (1993), Potter Lumber & Supply Co.
George Norris, D.V. M. (1994), Animal Hospital of Worthington
Phil Giessler (1995), Cam Taylor Co., Ltd.,Realtors
Charles Claibourne, D.D.S. (1996), Dental Practice
Steve Schnulo, O.D. (1997), Albright & Schnulo Family Eye Care
Matt Anderson (1998), Anderson’s FrameDesign
Kathryn R. Paugh (1999), KRP Communications
Gloria Yonadi (2000), Kerbler’s Restaurant
Nicki Budin (2001), Curio Cabinet & Christmas Village (Deceased)
William Dawson (2002), NexTech Materials, Ltd.
Darla King (2003), King Business Interiors
Charlotte Van Steyn (2004), RE/MAX Premier Choice Realtors
Bryan Myers (2005), B&C Blacktop Sealing, Inc.
Mike Beck (2006), Think Painting
Bill Alsnauer (2007), State Farm Insurance & Financial Services/Bill Alsnauer Agency
Tom Hastings (2008), thinkCSC, formerly Computer Site Columbus
Bill Owens (2009), Owens Construction Contracting Co.
Joe Davis (2010), Independent Jeweler
Anthony Lordo, D.D.S. (2011), Dental Practice
Kay Lakhi (2012), Allyfe Wellbeing Strategies, formerly The Rite Bite
Donnie Austin (2013), House Wine
Tom Carter (2014), The Shops at Worthington Place
Jeff Appel (2015), Appel & Hellstedt, attorneys at law
Barbara L. McClatchie (2016), Complete Health Dentistry of Columbus/Heart and Stroke Prevention Center
Ian Brown (2017), The Whitney House
Julia Keiser, D.C. (2018), Worthington Optimal Wellness
Dennis Kelley (2019), Total Comfort Heating & Cooling