San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Announces Winners of 23rd Annual Excellence in Business Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nationally known leaders Salesforce.com and Wells Fargo were joined by up-and-coming businesses Bluxome Street Winery and NerdWallet as winners at the 23^rd annual Excellence in Businesses Awards presented Wednesday by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.

"The Chamber is proud to honor businesses large and small that embrace innovation and contribute so much to San Francisco and our region," said Bob Linscheid, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. "We frankly had a difficult time selecting winners because so many businesses are doing amazing things in San Francisco."

Nearly a quarter century ago the Chamber created the Excellence in Business Awards, known as the Ebbies, to honor San Francisco businesses for their innovation, to celebrate their vision and publicly appreciate their contributions to their employees and our community. The awards were presented Wednesday in front of a packed ballroom at the Westin St. Francis on Union Square.

Salesforce.com received the Chamber's most prestigious recognition, the Excellence in Business Award sponsored by United Airlines. The award is presented to a business that "exemplifies excellent corporate citizenship in giving back to the communities in which it operates and in a corporate culture that enhances the lives of its employees."

Salesforce.com also received the Building San Francisco Award sponsored by Hathaway Dinwiddie. This award recognizes a company that shares the Chamber's commitment to economic development, housing, transportation and the quality of life in San Francisco. The award also acknowledges Salesforce.com's expansive growth and deep commitment to San Francisco and the educational system.

Wells Fargo received the Community Champion Award sponsored by Etihad Airways for its "track record of consistently buying from or advocating for local San Francisco small businesses."

Bluxome Street Winery – yes, there is a winery in San Francisco – received the Small Business Award sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Bluxome, located in the South of Market area, "exemplifies the diversity of products and services that give San Francisco neighborhoods their special flair."

NerdWallet received the Innovation Through Technology Award sponsored by Comcast. NerdWallet creates user-friendly tools, crunches numbers and gives unfiltered search results on its website to help consumers choose credit cards, find affordable health insurance and other services.

Pacific Community Ventures received the Economic Development Award sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. The award reflects the San Francisco-based nonprofit's investments in low-income communities while driving public policy to support entrepreneurship and impact investing.

SquareTrade received the Emerging Growth Award sponsored by Recology and Wells Fargo. SquareTrade, which provides warranties for iPhones, iPads, laptops and other electronics, received the award for its "capacity for creativity and innovation."

"These awards reflect the incredible innovation that occurs almost daily in San Francisco," Linscheid said. "These winners are not only leading the world in creativity but are also giving back so much to our community. We applaud them all."

The 23^rd annual Ebbies Awards were made possible by title sponsor Bank of America Merrill Lynch along with additional sponsors Etihad Airways, Kaiser Permanente, Pacific Gas and Electric, United Airlines, Dignity Health, Hathaway Dinwiddie, Comcast Business, Recology, Sutter Health CPMC, Wells Fargo and other leading businesses.

More information on the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the Ebbies is available at www.sfchamber.com.

Founded in 1850, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce is recognized as the preeminent business organization for advocacy, networking and economic growth. The Chamber  delivers on its mission to attract, develop and retain business in San Francisco by representing companies and organizations that make San Francisco a preferred destination for businesses and visitors.

SOURCE San Francisco Chamber of Commerce