KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Parrish & Sons Construction was named the 2023 Small Business of the Year by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, making it the first Black woman-owned business to win the honor.
The business has been recognized as a Top 10 Small Business at the Small Business Celebration Awards Luncheon and earned the Small Business Equity Award last year, a celebration that has been in the Kansas City community for over 35 years.
The chamber of commerce says the award is granted to a business that shows "growth or sustainability of their business with strong employee relations, a record of giving back to the community, and prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion."
Fahteema Parrish, president and founder of Parrish & Sons, accepted the award Wednesday afternoon at a luncheon at the Marriott Muehlebach Tower.
Parrish said the business has doubled its employee size from only around 15 employees, to an average of 35 employees, depending on the season and workload of a project. Parrish & Sons Construction has also tripled its amount of heavy equipment and is gearing up to purchase land for a new headquarters.
A release from the chamber of commerce also details that Parrish & Sons gives "considerable" time and resources to helping out the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kansas City, aSTEAM Village, Parkway Healthy & Rehab and other community organizations.
Other Kansas City businesses were also recognized at the luncheon.
IT consulting company NvisionKC earned the Emerging Small Business of the Year award, Quantum Resource Professionals, a health care and education contract staffing company, won the KC Chamber Legacy of Kansas City Award, while J. Rieger & Co. was named the KC Chamber Weida Award for International Small Business of the Year and Resolve Counseling and Wellness took home the KC Chamber Business Small Business Equity Award.
