Twelve local businesses were recognized at this year’s Richardson EDGE awards luncheon for their impact on the Richardson community. This annual event was held Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Dallas-Richardson in a 33-year tradition.
EDGE is the economic development growth and expansion initiative of the Richardson Economic Development Partnership (REDP). Each year, REDP, the Richardson Chamber of Commerce and the Richardson Rotary Clubs recognize Richardson companies and organizations that have achieved extraordinary success and/or made a significant investment in Richardson. The awards luncheon event is held in conjunction with the three Rotary clubs of Richardson: Richardson Rotary, Richardson Central and Richardson East.
“EDGE is an acronym for Economic Development, Growth & Expansion,” said Chamber President and CEO Bill Sproull. “The Richardson Chamber of Commerce and the City of Richardson have been recognizing companies with EDGE awards for more than 30 years as a way of thanking them for their contributions to the local economy. When companies make an investment in our community, and they are successful, we all benefit. We want these businesses to know how much we appreciate the impact they have on our city.”
This year’s recipients are as follows:
Commercial Real Estate Project: UT Dallas Northside, Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions and Wynne/Jackson
Northside at UT Dallas is a $54 million mixed-use development on 13 acres at the northwest corner of Synergy Boulevard and Floyd Road, adjacent to a future DART station. The development will include a 600-bed midrise apartment and townhome project operated by Balfour Beatty Communities, as well as a variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues operated by Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners. Project completion is slated for August, 2016, and is expected to serve 30,000 students, faculty, staff and community members.
Community Involvement Award: Richardson Tom Thumb Stores
Tom Thumb stores have been an integral part of our community since 1961. Tom Thumb has three Richardson locations: Arapaho Village, Custer Crossing and Lennox Shopping Center, and their employees remain dedicated to supporting the community. More than 130 Richardson organizations, schools and churches receive quarterly funding through Tom Thumb’s Good Neighbor program. Tom Thumb is a long-time sponsor of the Wildflower! Art & Music Festival and also supports Race for the Cure, March of Dimes and Santa’s Helpers. In recent years, the Lennox Center Tom Thumb expanded its kosher offerings when the Albertson’s on Campbell closed and a significant remodel and lease extension was done at the Arapaho Village store.
Entrepreneurship Award: Mitel (formerly Mavenir)
Mitel is a software-based networking solutions company enabling mobile service providers to deliver next generation services over 4G LTE networks. In March 2015, Canadian telecom services provider Mitel Networks Corp. announced it would purchase Richardson-based Mavenir Systems, Inc. for $560 million, in a bid to expand its telephone services to the high-speed 4G LTE mobile market. With this announcement, Mavenir’s stock jumped nearly 23% to $17.80, making it the 3rd-largest percentage gainer on the New York Stock Exchange. Mitel customers include T-Mobile and Verizon Communications. Mavenir was a Tech Titan and Fast Tech Award finalist in 2014 and 2015.
Environmental Award: MetroPak, the Bag Source
Founded in 1980, Metropak manufactures paper, plastic and reuseable bags. They are the bag manufacturer for distributors who want to buy from the easiest and most reliable bag source. Metropak is the highest rated bag manufacturer in the industry (5-star rating with ASI), with eight accolades including the Golden Achievement Award from Promotional Products Association International. Richardson is proud to be the home of this environmentally conscious company.
International Business Award: Amdocs
Amdocs is the market-leader in (CES) customer experience software solutions and services for the world’s largest communications, entertainment and media service providers. Amdocs delivers a wide array of innovative and personalized services to end users, regardless of device or network. For more than 30 years, Amdocs solutions, which include BSS, OSS, network control and optimization, coupled with professional and managed services, have accelerated business value for customers by streamlining complex operating environments, reducing costs and speeding time to market for new products and services. Amdocs’ 24,000 employees serve customers in more than 90 countries and had revenue of $3.6 billion in fiscal 2014. Amdocs’ offices in Richardson were established in 2000, and they currently have more than 900 employees. Amdocs was founded in Israel.
Newcomer Business Award: Richardson Mercantile/the Weitzman Group
When Whole Foods vacated its Richardson location at Dal-Rich Shopping Center, The Weitzman Group went to work to bring a new and exciting tenant to this longtime Richardson/North Dallas center. The result was the Richardson Mercantile, the second mercantile facility in the Dallas area. Open since November 2014, the Richardson Mercantile features an eclectic array of art, antiques, home decor, gifts, apparel, jewelry, furniture and more. This exciting new venue features almost 300 booths displaying new inventory and fresh finds every day. In addition to occupying the former Whole Foods space, the Richardson Mercantile took the vacant Drug Emporium space for a total of 50,000 square feet. Its popularity has resulted in new neighboring restaurants. To embrace the new energy of this shopping Center, The Weitzman Group changed the center’s name to Dal-Rich Towne Square.
Public/Non-Profit/Educational Award: Richland College
For more than 40 years, Richland College has focused on teaching, learning and building community. Richland helps students build their futures through courses that can be applied to the first two years of a baccalaureate degree. The school also offers one- and two-year certificates in a number of career fields, as well as training in the latest technology for students who want to advance in their current careers. In 2014, Richland College received a $450,000 Texas Skills Development Fund grant to train more than 200 employees of Associa, which had established an office in Richardson at that time (now with 400+ employees). Among its achievements, Richland has been recognized by the White House and the Department of Commerce as the only community college to ever receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Redevelopment Award (New Award for 2015): TNT Dental
TNT Dental was the first company to focus exclusively on websites for dentists. Founded in 2000, TNT was making custom websites for dentists before it was cool. In fact, this is the reason TNT even exists. At the time, the founders of TNT, Tim and Tim, were working at the same dental laboratory and were tasked with finding a company that could develop a website for their business. They soon realized that nobody understood dentistry and technology the way they did. TNT was launched in 2000 and remains the only company focused exclusively on helping dentists grow their practices via the Internet. In 2014, TNT renovated the Richardson Post Office building at Lockwood and Custer Roads to use as it new headquarters. The 10,000-square-foot building was converted into a highly efficient and modern office building to house its current staff of 45 employees.
Richardson Loyalty Award: Service King, Inc.
Service King is an industry-leading operator of high quality automotive collision repair services. With 260 locations in 23 states, Service King is one of the largest multi-location collision repair operators in the U.S. and has been named by the Dallas and San Antonio Business Journals as the No. 1 “Best Place to Work.” Service King has been headquartered in Richardson since 2001 and recently moved to its new home at 2600 N Central Expressway.
