The Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce has announced finalists in a number of categories for its 6th annual 'Excellence in Business' Awards.

The lunch event—again presented by CURB Records—will take place on Friday May 4 from 11:30am to 1:30pm at the Hilton Nashville Downtown.

Over three hundred business and community leaders are expected to attend this high-profile event to celebrate and recognize the finalists and hear from the winners who were selected for their contributions to Nashville's inclusive business and nonprofit communities.

Tickets and sponsorships are available at the Excellence in Business Awards webpage on the Nashville LGBT Chamber's website.

Over 100 people and organizations were nominated across seven categories. Nominees completed questionnaires describing their accomplishments over the last twelve months. Questionnaires were scored by an awards committee made up of a diverse group of LGBT Chamber members and former award winners. The nominees who receive the top three scores are the finalists in that category. All current LGBT Chamber members will be allowed to vote for one deserving winner in each category to add to the judges’ scores of each finalist. Winners will be announced at the event on May 4.

Nashville LGBT Chamber CEO, Lisa Howe, said about the event, “The Excellence in Business Awards is an inspirational day for the LGBT Chamber and our community. This unique and exciting lunch event attracts our largest, most attentive, and most influential audience. It is a great crowd in front of which to share these powerful LGBT-inclusive success stories.” Finalists were introduced at the LGBT Chamber’s March Brewing up Business which was held on March 22nd at the Aertson Kimpton Hotel.

AWARD CATEGORIES AND FINALISTS

Corporate Diversity

2017 Winner - Waller

Comcast

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Dell, Inc.

Postmates, Inc.

Small Business Diversity

2017 Winner - The Turnip Truck

Concept Technology, Inc.

MediCopy Services, Inc.

SnapShot Interactive

Entrepreneur of the Year

2017 Winner - John Dyke, The Turnip Truck

Phil Cobucci, BAM! Social Business

Elliott Noble-Holt, MediCopy Services, Inc.

Ron Sanford, Ron Sanford Productions

Business Leader of the Year

2017 Winner - Paul Vasterling, Artistic Director & CEO, Nashville Ballet

Sara McManigal, VP Talent & Organizational Development, Planview, Inc.

David Plazas, Community Engagement Editor, The Tennessean

Kimberly Stephan-Tate, Director of Quality, Asurion

Ally Award

2017 Winner - Sean Henry, CEO & President, Nashville Predators

Lacey Culton, Sr. Visual Merchandise Presentation Specialist, Cracker Barrel

Bethany Mason, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Dollar General

Kim Totzke, COO, The Turnip Truck

Community Service Award

2017 Winner - Nashville Launch Pad

Mac, Pageant Director, Mac Productions

Ron Sanford, Owner, Event Designer, Ron Sanford Productions

Joe Woolley, Owner, Consultant, Get it Done Solutions

Leadership in the Arts Award

2017 Winner - OZ Arts Nashville

T.K. (Thunder Kelly) Hampton, Executive Director, LHiV.org

Don Schlosser, Artistic Director, Nashville in Harmony

Noah Spiegel, Managing Director, Nashville Children’s Theatre