The Home Inspection firm, Beryl Project Engineering was nominated as a South Tampa Chamber of Commerce Emerging Business of the year a couple of months ago. We were honored back in the day to be asked to submit an application. Now that the second round is complete, we received notice that this Home Inspection firm has made it to the finals and will be interviewed at our offices on January 7, 2015, right here in Ybor City. The following excerpt ran in the TBO on December 22, 2015.

The South Tampa Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2016 Business of the Year Awards to be presented at the Chamber’s 90th Anniversary Celebration, presented by Bright House Networks Business Solutions, on Feb. 3, 2016.

The Business of the Year Awards recognize and honor chamber members that have demonstrated leadership, positive growth, development and integrity in operation as a business, as well as a commitment to the community.

SMALL BUSINESS (1- 5 employees): About You Mastectomy Boutique, A Home Buyers Choice and the Law Office of Dale S. Appell, P.A.

MEDIUM BUSINESS (6-10 employees): Continental Wholesale Diamonds, Landscape Fusion, Selling South Tampa Team with Exit Bayshore Realty

LARGE BUSINESS (11-plus employees): Amy’s Day Spa, Chameleon Custom Solutions, Overhead Door Company of Tampa Bay

EMERGING BUSINESS (Less than 3 years): Beryl Project Engineering, Blo Blow Dry Bar, Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services

The chamber will present the Citizen of the Year Award to University of Tampa president Dr. Ronald L. Vaughn. Bill Yanger, the chamber’s incoming board chairman said: “Anyone who has witnessed the staggering changes at the University of Tampa campus over the last 10 years cannot help but applaud Dr. Vaughn’s ability to get things done. The explosive physical growth of the campus, the rising national prominence of its academic and athletic programs and the recent opening of The Entrepreneurship Center, all are a direct result of Dr. Vaughn’s passion for the university. His selection as Citizen of Year was well overdue.” Awards for Volunteer of the Year and Member of the Year will also be presented at the event.

During the most recent round of interview questions, Beryl was asked the following:

Can you state 2-3 Sentences about your company?
Founded in 2013 in Tampa, Beryl is an engineering management and home inspection services orientated company. Whether our clients need assistance with construction engineering, construction inspection, or residential home inspection, Beryl has the right inspector with the right tools for their needs. Protect what matters most, your family, through our inspections.

Can you state 2-3 Sentences about why you started your business?
David and I started Beryl because as construction engineering professionals we wanted to focus locally in one city as opposed to moving from one project to the next. After living in many cities here in Florida, we decided that it was time to make Tampa our permanent home. Our vision is to create a better tomorrow and we accomplish our goal one residence at a time though our inspections.

Can you give us your reaction to being selected as a 2016 STCOC BOTY Finalist?
We are honored to being selected as a finalist for the 2016 STCOC Emerging Business. As an emerging business, discovering and learning the small business sub-culture has been very exciting. We have fully embraced this sub-culture, and you have reciprocated by selecting us as a finalist. Honored is the only word we could use to describe how we feel.

Tickets to the event may be purchased at www.southtampachamber.org.