Stephen Montoya
Fort Worth Chamber Small Business of year
"Fort Worth Magazine" publisher Hal Brown (right) accepts the 2024 Small Business of the Year Award from Congressman Roger Williams
While work at a publication normally entails reporting on the achievements of others, the job does afford one, on occasion, the ability to toot one’s own horn. This happens to be one such occasion.
On Thursday, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce awarded Panther City Media Group, the parent company of Fort Worth Magazine and Fort Worth Inc., the 2024 Small Business of the Year Award for companies with 1 to 20 employees. The Fort Worth Chamber presented the award at the annual State of the City Address, which took place at a Dickies Arena packed with city leaders, business owners, and local media.
Hal Brown, the company’s co-founder, publisher, and CEO was in attendance — along with the rest of the staff at Panther City Media Group — to accept the award from Congressman Roger Williams and Bill McCoy of presenting sponsor Bank of Texas, during the Small Business of the Year Showcase.
Other recipients include fellow local publication, Fort Worth Report, and Quorum Architects, both honored for companies with 21 to 50 employees; Ampersand, a local coffee shop and night club that, for the second year in a row, took home the Small Business of the Year Award for companies with 51 to 100 employees; and Galvan Strategy Group, which received the award for emerging businesses.
According to the Fort Worth Chamber website, the annual award “recognizes and honors Fort Worth small businesses that have demonstrated exemplary ‘Best Practices’ in business.” Judging criteria includes talent, which is a business’s attraction, culture, retention, and training; the top business challenge faced and addressed during the previous year; and community involvement.
Fort Worth Magazine first launched in December 1998, when it was known by the less concise Fort Worth, Texas Magazine, and celebrated its 25th anniversary last December. In honor of the magazine's 20th anniversary, the City of Fort Worth made a proclamation, declaring Dec. 13 as Fort Worth Magazine Day. The publication is known for its long-form journalism, lifestyle and dining content, annual Best of Fort Worth Awards, and contribution of over $16 million in cash and in-kind donations during its 25 years of existence. The magazine launched Fort Worth Inc., an executive lifestyle and business publication, in 2016.
The Small Business of the Year application process included basic business information, six separate categories of business references, and lengthy responses to eight queries concerning business performance, practices, customer service, ethics, challenges, innovation, and contributions to the community.
The Fort Worth Chamber began its Small Business of the Year Awards the same year Fort Worth Magazine first went to press — 1998. While the categories have fluctuated from year to year, some having been based on employee count while others based on revenue or industry, the Fort Worth Chamber has handed out 95 awards to 88 different businesses in that 26-year span.
Following the awards, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker gave the annual State of the City address, a 50-minute speech that touched on transportation and infrastructure, education, public safety, and economic development.
