Sandra Cepeda was a double-winner at the 35^th annual Huntsville/Madison County Chamber Small Business Awards.

Actually, she was a double co-winner.

Cepeda and Kimberly Lewis were named the winners of the top honor – the Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award. Cepeda heads Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis and Lewis is the CEO of ProjectXYZ.

Cepeda’s company was named a co-winner with Sentar for Government Contracting – Professional Services Business of the Year.

The annual celebration was held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are so proud of all of our small businesses,” said Pammie Jimmar, the Chamber’s Vice President of Small Business & Events. “It has been a very tough year for so many of them, and we hope this event gives them a boost to let them know we love and support them, and we value what they bring to our community.”

Below are the categories and the winners.

Young Professional of the Year: Bekah Schmidt, South Huntsville Main Business Association
Nonprofit of the Year: Huntsville Ballet
Professional Services Business of the Year: New Beginnings Family Law, P.C.
Culinary Business of the Year: Mango’s Caribbean Cookhouse
Emerging Business of the Year: MaDonni Beauty
Government Contracting – Professional Services Business of the Year: TIE – Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis and Sentar, Inc.
Government Contracting – Technology Business of the Year: Signalink, Inc.
Technology Business of the Year: SimTech
Service Business of the Year: 47E
Retailer of the Year: Redline Steel
Local “Creative” of the Year: Party Life, LLC
Medical Practice of the Year: Focus Physiotherapy Huntsville
Woman-Owned Business of the Year: Troy 7
Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award: TIE – Sandra Cepeda, Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis and Kimberly Lewis, PROJECTXYZ, Inc.
People’s Choice Award: Active8 Communications

This year’s judging was completed by chambers from various locations around the United States, including the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce; Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce; Terrell, Texas, Chamber of Commerce & Convention & Visitors Bureau; and the Community Development Foundation – Chamber of Commerce in Tupelo, Miss.