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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Sinikka Mondini for MCCC 630-885-8604/sinikka@jrcommunications.com Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Announces Annual Business Award Winners The 2025 Business Awards Dinner Celebrates the Best in the Montgomery County Business Community Rockville, MD (October 7, 2025) – The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce its 2025 Business Award winners that will be celebrated during the annual Business Awards Dinner on November 12, 2025. This event showcases the best of the Montgomery County business community, with 600 guests expected to attend. “Each year, the Business Awards Dinner is a reminder of the incredible innovation, resilience, and impact of Montgomery County’s business community across a variety of sectors, including biotech, construction, energy, entertainment, finance, government, and retail industries,” said Angela Franco, President & CEO, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. “This year’s honorees represent the very best of what it means to lead with vision and to give back to our community. We look forward to celebrating their achievements and the lasting contributions they make both locally and throughout the region.” The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce 2025 Business Award winners include: Business Partner of the Year: Aprio The Business Partner of the Year award recognizes a business or individual that demonstrates excellence in subcontracting and/or supports small businesses to accelerate their success, and meets the mission of GovConNet. MCCC and the GovConNet Council are proud to recognize Aprio for its steadfast support for the Council and the government contracting community in our region and beyond. Aprio is a business advisory, tax, and accounting firm for innovators, business leaders, and entrepreneurs. Community Impact: Giant Food of Maryland, LLC The Community Impact Award honors an individual or organization that has reshaped business in Metro Maryland through years of sustained service and deep community commitment. The Chamber proudly recognizes Giant Food of Maryland, LLC, for its longstanding and measurable impact across the region. Headquartered in Landover and operating 163 stores and 153 pharmacies, Giant has supported Metro Maryland for over 89 years. Through its “Better Neighbor” initiative, Giant tackles food insecurity, supports military families, funds pediatric cancer research, and promotes social equality. In 2024, it donated over 5.1 million meals and raised millions for local nonprofits. Giant Pharmacy’s outreach clinics have served nearly 200,000 residents with vaccinations, health screenings, and in-home care—bringing vital services directly to schools, businesses, and community organizations. Corporation of the Year: F.O. Day Co. The Corporation of the Year award is presented to an individual or company that demonstrates leadership, innovation, commitment, and good corporate citizenship in Metro Maryland and beyond. The awardee has set consistently high standards for financial performance, sound management, and sustained growth over a period of many years. It has made significant and lasting contributions to the local economy and the community. The Chamber is pleased to recognize F.O. Day Co., which for over 80 years has been Maryland’s premier site work contractor and asphalt production and service provider, earning a reputation as a regional leader in paving, structures, and site development. Global Impact:?X-energy The Global Impact award recognizes an organization or individual headquartered in Montgomery County that has had a sustained and significant positive impact on national and global economic opportunity and well-being. The Chamber is pleased to honor X-energy for its global impact. X-energy is a private American nuclear reactor and fuel design engineering company that is developing a Generation IV high-temperature gas-cooled pebble-bed nuclear reactor design. X-energy is delivering the next generation of carbon-free energy by reinventing nuclear power. Government Partner of the Year: MD Department of Labor The Government Partner of the Year award recognizes a public partner who supports the mission of GovConNet, "to promote the economic impact of the federal government presence and to advocate on behalf of the contracting community for business opportunities." MCCC and GovConNet would like to highlight the Maryland Department of Labor for its swift and impactful leadership in supporting federal employees transitioning out of federal service. MD Labor mobilized its full suite of resources—including critical career exploration and reskilling tools and support for new ventures—to ensure the Capital Region retains this strong and talented pool of workers as they quickly pivot to new jobs and careers. Innovator of the Year: Olney Theatre Center for the Arts The Innovator of the Year award recognizes an individual or organization for its innovation and tremendous contributions to the County and beyond. The Chamber is pleased to recognize the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts for their ongoing commitment to the region. The Olney Theatre Center has raised $33 million of a $36.5 million goal to create innovative new performance, production, and education spaces. With improved performance, production, and education facilities, Olney Theatre Center will produce a new generation of transformative productions, artists, technicians, and arts leaders - turning the Olney Theatre into a world-class home for artists, a cultural hub for our community, and a teaching theater unlike any other in the United States. Small Business Leader of the Year: David McNairy, Dabos, Inc. The Chamber is proud to present the Small Business Leader of the Year award to David McNairy, an accomplished entrepreneur, attorney, and Founder & President of DABOS, Inc., based in Rockville, Maryland. This prestigious award honors a small business owner or manager with 500 or fewer employees whose enterprise has demonstrated significant growth and whose leadership has made a meaningful impact on the business community. Under David’s visionary leadership, DABOS has evolved into a cutting-edge technology platform with the largest and most diverse scientific catalog in the world. Originally designed to distribute biotech, medical, biochemical, chemical, and pharmacological supplies and equipment, the platform has expanded to serve a wide range of industries—including retail, restaurants, and manufacturing—through custom solutions in manufacturing, importing, warehousing, and distribution. DABOS is now uniquely positioned to harness the power of artificial intelligence and emerging logistics technologies to deliver seamless, automated supply chain solutions to some of the world’s largest enterprises. Verl Zanders Emerging Business: Liatris The Verl Landers Emerging Business award is presented to an emerging company on the leading edge of innovation by creating milestones in technology and/or business that has achieved enhanced earnings and contributed to Montgomery County’s reputation as an outstanding place to do business. The Chamber continues this award tradition by honoring Liatris, which is delivering the cleanest and fastest energy savings for businesses and consumers by producing high-performance thermal insulation for buildings that is easy to install, eco-friendly, and resilient. Liatris Inc. is expanding its “Super Insulation Prototype Center” in the Twinbrook neighborhood of Rockville to scale up these next-generation materials for future deployment and manufacturing with corporate partners, including the highest-performance insulation prototypes in the industry at R-11/inch. This event is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors, including: Award Winner Reception - Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. General Reception Sponsor - Roberts Oxygen Award Sponsors - Aprio, BuildWithin, CohnReznick LLP, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), PNC Bank, and M&T Bank Platinum Sponsors - Contemporaries, F.O. Day, Kaiser Permanente, Lantian Development, M&T Bank, Marriott International, Montgomery College, The Universities at Shady Grove, Total Wine & More, and Whiting-Turner Silver - AT&T, Boland, Comcast, MCB Real Estate, Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, Stockbridge, Visit Montgomery - Montgomery County Conference & Visitors Bureau, and Verizon For a complete list of sponsors, please visit: mcccmd.com/businesawards The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce 2025 Business Awards Dinner will take place on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, from 5:00-8:30 p.m. at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and to register, please visit www.mcccmd.com/businessawards. About Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC), on behalf of its members, champions the growth of business opportunities, strategic infrastructure investments, and a strong workforce to position Metro Maryland as a premier regional, national, and global business location. Established in 1959, MCCC is an independent, non-profit membership organization. For more information, visit https://www.mcccmd.com or follow the Chamber at https://www.facebook.com/MCCCMD. ###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sinikka Mondini for MCCC
630-885-8604/sinikka@jrcommunications.com
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Announces Annual
Business Award Winners
The 2025 Business Awards Dinner Celebrates the Best in the Montgomery
County Business Community
Rockville, MD (October 7, 2025) – The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce its 2025 Business Award winners that will be celebrated during the annual Business Awards Dinner on November 12, 2025. This event showcases the best of the Montgomery County business community, with 600 guests expected to attend.
“Each year, the Business Awards Dinner is a reminder of the incredible innovation, resilience, and impact of Montgomery County’s business community across a variety of sectors, including biotech, construction, energy, entertainment, finance, government, and retail industries,” said Angela Franco, President & CEO, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. “This year’s honorees represent the very best of what it means to lead with vision and to give back to our community. We look forward to celebrating their achievements and the lasting contributions they make both locally and throughout the region.”
The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce 2025 Business Award winners include:
Business Partner of the Year: Aprio
The Business Partner of the Year award recognizes a business or individual that demonstrates excellence in subcontracting and/or supports small businesses to accelerate their success, and meets the mission of GovConNet. MCCC and the GovConNet Council are proud to recognize Aprio for its steadfast support for the Council and the government contracting community in our region and beyond. Aprio is a business advisory, tax, and accounting firm for innovators, business leaders, and entrepreneurs.
Community Impact: Giant Food of Maryland, LLC
The Community Impact Award honors an individual or organization that has reshaped business in Metro Maryland through years of sustained service and deep community commitment. The Chamber proudly recognizes Giant Food of Maryland, LLC, for its longstanding and measurable impact across the region. Headquartered in Landover and operating 163 stores and 153 pharmacies, Giant has supported Metro Maryland for over 89 years. Through its “Better Neighbor” initiative, Giant tackles food insecurity, supports military families, funds pediatric cancer research, and promotes social equality. In 2024, it donated over 5.1 million meals and raised millions for local nonprofits. Giant Pharmacy’s outreach clinics have served nearly 200,000 residents with vaccinations, health screenings, and in-home care—bringing vital services directly to schools, businesses, and community organizations.
Corporation of the Year: F.O. Day Co.
The Corporation of the Year award is presented to an individual or company that demonstrates leadership, innovation, commitment, and good corporate citizenship in Metro Maryland and beyond. The awardee has set consistently high standards for financial performance, sound management, and sustained growth over a period of many years. It has made significant and lasting contributions to the local economy and the community. The Chamber is pleased to recognize F.O. Day Co., which for over 80 years has been Maryland’s premier site work contractor and asphalt production and service provider, earning a reputation as a regional leader in paving, structures, and site development.
Global Impact:?X-energy
The Global Impact award recognizes an organization or individual headquartered in Montgomery County that has had a sustained and significant positive impact on national and global economic opportunity and well-being. The Chamber is pleased to honor X-energy for its global impact. X-energy is a private American nuclear reactor and fuel design engineering company that is developing a Generation IV high-temperature gas-cooled pebble-bed nuclear reactor design. X-energy is delivering the next generation of carbon-free energy by reinventing nuclear power.
Government Partner of the Year: MD Department of Labor
The Government Partner of the Year award recognizes a public partner who supports the mission of GovConNet, "to promote the economic impact of the federal government presence and to advocate on behalf of the contracting community for business opportunities." MCCC and GovConNet would like to highlight the Maryland Department of Labor for its swift and impactful leadership in supporting federal employees transitioning out of federal service. MD Labor mobilized its full suite of resources—including critical career exploration and reskilling tools and support for new ventures—to ensure the Capital Region retains this strong and talented pool of workers as they quickly pivot to new jobs and careers.
Innovator of the Year: Olney Theatre Center for the Arts
The Innovator of the Year award recognizes an individual or organization for its innovation and tremendous contributions to the County and beyond. The Chamber is pleased to recognize the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts for their ongoing commitment to the region. The Olney Theatre Center has raised $33 million of a $36.5 million goal to create innovative new performance, production, and education spaces. With improved performance, production, and education facilities, Olney Theatre Center will produce a new generation of transformative productions, artists, technicians, and arts leaders - turning the Olney Theatre into a world-class home for artists, a cultural hub for our community, and a teaching theater unlike any other in the United States.
Small Business Leader of the Year: David McNairy, Dabos, Inc.
The Chamber is proud to present the Small Business Leader of the Year award to David McNairy, an accomplished entrepreneur, attorney, and Founder & President of DABOS, Inc., based in Rockville, Maryland. This prestigious award honors a small business owner or manager with 500 or fewer employees whose enterprise has demonstrated significant growth and whose leadership has made a meaningful impact on the business community. Under David’s visionary leadership, DABOS has evolved into a cutting-edge technology platform with the largest and most diverse scientific catalog in the world. Originally designed to distribute biotech, medical, biochemical, chemical, and pharmacological supplies and equipment, the platform has expanded to serve a wide range of industries—including retail, restaurants, and manufacturing—through custom solutions in manufacturing, importing, warehousing, and distribution. DABOS is now uniquely positioned to harness the power of artificial intelligence and emerging logistics technologies to deliver seamless, automated supply chain solutions to some of the world’s largest enterprises.
Verl Zanders Emerging Business: Liatris
The Verl Landers Emerging Business award is presented to an emerging company on the leading edge of innovation by creating milestones in technology and/or business that has achieved enhanced earnings and contributed to Montgomery County’s reputation as an outstanding place to do business. The Chamber continues this award tradition by honoring Liatris, which is delivering the cleanest and fastest energy savings for businesses and consumers by producing high-performance thermal insulation for buildings that is easy to install, eco-friendly, and resilient. Liatris Inc. is expanding its “Super Insulation Prototype Center” in the Twinbrook neighborhood of Rockville to scale up these next-generation materials for future deployment and manufacturing with corporate partners, including the highest-performance insulation prototypes in the industry at R-11/inch.
This event is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors, including:
The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce 2025 Business Awards Dinner will take place on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, from 5:00-8:30 p.m. at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and to register, please visit www.mcccmd.com/businessawards.
About Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC), on behalf of its members, champions the growth of business opportunities, strategic infrastructure investments, and a strong workforce to position Metro Maryland as a premier regional, national, and global business location. Established in 1959, MCCC is an independent, non-profit membership organization. For more information, visit https://www.mcccmd.com or follow the Chamber at https://www.facebook.com/MCCCMD.
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