Engineering firm wins Chamber Business of Year

THHinc principals, from left: Kris Bezenek, Tom Wooten, John Huss, Tom Trabue and Gene Hinshaw

Trabue, Hansen & Hinshaw Inc., an engineering consulting firm, was named the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Small Business of the Year.
Other finalists for the award were The Add Sheet!, Bucket Media, Designer Landscape and Midwest Computech. The award ceremony on May 7 at the Courtyard by Marriott, which 125 people attended, was part of the Chamber’s 2010 Small Business Week.

David Nivens stands in recognition of Midwest Computech's nomination for Small Business of the Year Award.

“It’s a fantastic honor,” Gene Hinshaw said.
“It’s tremendous, the amount of work the Chamber throws into this program,” Tom Trabue added.

Commercial Realtor Paul Land, who wil become the Chamber chairman this summer, congratulates Trabue.

THHinc (pronounced “think”) was also nominated for Small Business of the Year in 2009. The company started operating in April 1996 with 12 employees working in a 1,000-square-foot office and now has 35 employees and a 10,000-square-foot office.
Hinshaw said one reason for their success is that eight of the original 12 employees are still working for the company.
THHinc’s major projects include Mizzou Arena, MU’s Discovery Ridge research park, Boone Hospital’s expansion, the Missouri Department of Conservation offices and, more recently, two new city fire stations.

Kat Cunningham, center, enjoys the video presentation at the award luncheon after her speech to the group.