Accepting the award from NBC special correspondent Tom Brokaw, were Carl Hauptmann, Randy Trotter, Mark Rutter and Scott Farrar of Cool Containers, shown above with Charlotte Keim. The Marietta Chamber of Commerce nominated Cool Containers, LLC for this prestigious award.

 

Founded this year, the four person company invented the PharmaPort 360, a tightly controlled refrigerated container designed for the safe shipment of high-value pharmaceuticals. Depending on the success of the business, it is hoped that 50 to 150 new high-paying jobs can be created in the Marietta area. Those jobs would include skilled assemblers, technicians, engineers, sales and marketing managers and associates, service engineers and administrative personnel. The company is currently waiting for FAA Certification.

 

“We are very honored. Economic development is crucial for our valley and we are proud to be able to play a part in this economy. We are so proud, but had it not been for the support of this community, we would not be as far along as we are today.  We are grateful to the Ohio Chamber, the Marietta Chamber, the Port Authority and all those who helped us get this company started,” commented Carl Hauptmann, Cool Containers.

 

“What an incredible day!  This just confirms that southeastern Ohio, especially Marietta and Washington County, is poised for a new wave of innovation and industrial growth.  The foundation was laid by brothers Dick and Ralph Bergen in the 1950’s when they started Forma Scientific, and the low temperature refrigeration industry has expanded considerably and this newest company, Cool Containers, exemplifies the can-do spirit of our valley business men and women,” said Charlotte Keim, President of the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce. 

“In honor of our state’s history of innovators and entrepreneurs, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce created this award to recognize those who continue to take considerable initiative and risk in creating new products and services,” explained President and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Andrew E. Doehrel. “The PharmaPort 360 developed by Cool Containers LLC is fulfilling an important world-wide need and is an excellent example of Ohio’s innovative spirit.”

 

During the Legislative Reception, the Marietta group had a chance to catch up with Rep. Jennifer Garrison, shown here with Charlotte Keim, Jack Haessly, Haessly Hardwood Lumber, and Washington COunty Commisioner Cora Marshall.

 

Other members of the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce who journeyed to Columbus to attend the Ohio Chamber’s annual meeting were: David Haas of Morrison Inc. and Southeastern Ohio Port Authority President, Pamela Lankford, Small Business Development Center, Terry Tamburini, Washington State Community College, Tom Betz of Peoples Bank and Chairman of the Chamber board. Not pictured below,but attending were Jennifer Greene, Washington Electric Cooperative, Wendy Shriver, Marietta Memorial Hospital, and Jamey Styer, WMOA/WJAW Radio.

 

Local chambers of commerce submitted nominations early this spring. From those nominees, 17 were selected to compete for the award. An award committee, made up of members from the Ohio Chamber’s board of directors, reviewed the detailed applications and selected the top three finalists: Cool Containers, LLC, Shearer’s Foods, Inc., in Brewster (nominated by the Jackson-Belden Chamber of Commerce) and Syncro Medical Innovations, Inc. from Youngstown (nominated by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber). From those top three, Cool Containers, LLC was selected as the award winner.

 

The 17 finalists for this year’s Ohio Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Entrepreneurship award and the chambers that nominated them were:

 

Advanced Fiber Technology, Bucyrus, Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce

Caring Partners International, Inc., Franklin, Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce

Cool Containers, LLC, Marietta, Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce

Dynamic Management & Consulting, LLC, Perry, Madison Perry Area Chamber of Commerce

IMAX Industries, Inc., Painesville, Painesville Area Chamber of Commerce

Koford Engineering, Winchester, Adams County Chamber of Commerce

Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc., Westerville, Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce

Nextronex Energy Systems, LLC, Millbury, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

Old West Festival, LLC, Cincinnati, Brown County Chamber of Commerce

Ohio Energy & Advanced Manufacturing Center, Lima, Lima-Allen County Chamber of Commerce

One Call Now, Troy, Troy Area Chamber of Commerce

Shearer’s Foods, Inc., Brewster, Jackson-Belden Chamber of Commerce

Soaring Software Solutions, Swanton, Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce

Syncro Medical Innovations, Inc., Youngstown, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber

The Allen Company, Blanchester, Blanchester Area Chamber of Commerce

The Wooden Horse Corporation, Norwalk, Norwalk-Huron County Chamber of Commerce

Travel Solutions, Inc., New Albany, New Albany Chamber of Commerce

 

With nearly 600 members, the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce has been representing business interests in southeastern Ohio since 1887.  

 

With 4,000 members ranging from small businesses to international companies, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce represents Ohio’s business voice. Founded in 1893, the Ohio Chamber is one of the state’s oldest business organizations.