For Immediate Release – April 17, 2025

Contact:
Brian Otten, Marketing Director
Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce
715-848-5947 | botten@wausauchamber.com

Chamber names 2025 Small Business of the Year Award recipients

WAUSAU — The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce has announced the recipients of the 2025 Small Business of the Year Awards. The Awards were presented at the Chamber’s Business EXPO on the morning of Thursday, April 17 at the Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center in Rothschild. Eleven businesses and organizations were named as finalists for the awards.

The Small Business of the Year Award recognizes business growth, community involvement and innovative efforts in the Wausau region. Brad Hansen of WAOW was the emcee for this livestreamed event.

The 2025 Small Business of the Year Award recipients were In The Lite Electric in the Business category and Habitat for Humanity of Wausau in the Charitable Non-Profit category.

“I want to thank God for blessing this company and making it what it is,” said Dan Langhoff, Owner of In The Lite Electric. “Everybody here knows what it takes to start a business and to run a business and it wouldn’t be possible to succeed without the help of our employees, management team and family, especially my wife.”

“Our organization’s work is only possible because of the vision of those in the community 35 years ago and the 169 board members who have served Habitat since 1990,” said Tiffany Arnold, Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity of Wausau. “We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our sponsors, donors and in-kind supporters for making our work possible through your gifts.”

The finalists in each of the categories were:

Business Award Finalists: Chase Outdoors LLC, The Chocolate Shop & Cafe, Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning, Health in Motion-Wausau and Spectrum Benefit Solutions of Central Wisconsin

Charitable Non-Profit Award Finalists: Adaptive Communities Inc, American Legion Montgomery-Plant-Dudley Post 10, Fromm Bros. Historical Preservation Society Inc and McLit: Marathon County Literacy Council Inc

A replay of the awards program can be viewed on the WAOW Facebook page. Each of this year’s finalists were recently interviewed, with the videos available on the Chamber’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The 2024 Small Business of the Year Award recipients were Van Ert Electric Company Inc in the Business category and Christmas in July Charity in the Charitable Non-Profit category.

The Small Business of the Year Awards and Business EXPO were sponsored by M3 Insurance - Wausau at the presenting level, The Dirks Group, SDS Painting Company and Vitality Bar at the platinum level, by Ho-Chunk Gaming-Wittenberg and SUN Printing at the gold level, American Family Insurance – David Cooper Agency, In The Lite Electric, Jim Kryshak Jewelers, Nrothwest Tool & Manufacturing Company Inc, Spectrum Insurance Group LLC-Wausau and Yach’s Body & Custom at the silver level. Media sponsors for the events included Midwest Communications, The Business News and WAOW News 9. The printed map sponsor was RotoGraphic Printing Inc. and the Best In Show Awards sponsor was Fully Promoted-Wausau.

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The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce is the source for business information in the Wausau Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The organization has earned a 5-Star Accreditation, one of only two chambers in the state with that designation. The Chamber strengthens member businesses and enhances the region by building business success. For more information on the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce, visit us online at www.wausauchamber.com or call 715-845-6231.