Five Chattanooga area businesses were recognized by the local Better Business Bureau Wednesday for their ethical practices and policies.
During the annual BBB meeting, Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics were presented to Mortgage South of Tennessee, Rheaco Service Inc. in Dayton, Tennessee, TJ Snow Co. in Chattanooga, First Volunteer Bank in Chattanooga and Roper Corp. in LaFayette, Georgia. The winners were nominated by customers and employees of the companies and were selected by a panel of judges based upon their practices and reputation.
"The Torch Award is designed to promote not only the importance of ethical business practices, but the willingness and efforts made by outstanding businesses to ensure that the marketplace remains fair and honorable for all consumers," said Michele Mason, president of the Better Business Bureau Serving Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia.
Roper, a division of GE Appliances, was recognized in the large employer category among area companies with more than 500 employees. Roper has grown to more than 2,000 workers at its oven and stove manufacturing facility in LaFayette, Georgia and Roper President Lois Crandell said the company is trying to hire even more workers as the pandemic has spurred a rise in home remodeling and home construction projects needing appliances.
"We're still struggling to hire more workers," Crandell said Wednesday after Roper received the Torch Award for its business ethics. "Our volumes are up and continue to remain strong and we continue to need more people."
Crandell, who said she was "incredibly proud of the Roper team" for winning the Torch award, said the company is still having trouble like many employers filling all of its jobs.
"I've been in operations for 30 years, and I've never seen a market like this," she said.
To help attract workers, Roper boosted its hourly wage for most workers by 70 cents an hour last month. The company is also offering sign-on and retention bonuses and immediate employee benefits once hired.
"We've made a lot of changes in response to the labor market," Crandell said.
But Roper and other Torch winners said they have tried to remain true to being truthful, transparent and community-minded companies.
"It's very humbling when our long-time customers recognize our efforts as they have with this honor," said Patti Steele, president of First Volunteer Bank, which won the Torch award for employers with 100 to 500 employees.
Winners of BBB's local Torch Awards are now eligible to enter the International Association of Better Business Bureau's (IABBB) Torch Award, which last year included Walden Security in Chattanooga.
BBB also presented "Student of Integrity" scholarship awards of $1,000 each to Grady Beach from Chattooga High School, Carsi Beaty from McMinn Central High School, Colby Couch from Model High School, Daley Culberson from Ridgeland High School, Joy Douglass from Cleveland High School, Catherine Finley from Fannin County High School, Elijah Hudgins from Trion High School, Stephen Scott from Heritage High School, Dylan Simmons from Van Buren County High School and Connor Solbee from Walker Valley High School.
Over the past 17 years, the local BBB has awarded more than $161,000 in scholarship grants to students selected each year based upon their writing an essay on "the importance of ethics in business and our community."
- Compiled by Dave Flessner, who may be reached at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6340