For Immediate Release – January 28, 2026

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

Nominations now accepted for 2026 Small Business of the Year Awards

WAUSAU — The Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce is collecting nominations for the 2026 Small Businesses of the Year Awards through 3 p.m. on Friday, February 13. The Small Business of the Year Awards recognize business growth, community involvement and innovative efforts in the Wausau Region. To nominate a business or non-profit, please visit WausauChamber.com.

Returning this year, the awards will be announced at the Chamber’s Business EXPO on Thursday, April 16 at the Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center in Rothschild. A live streamed program from the EXPO featuring brief interviews with the finalists and the naming of the recipients will begin at 10 a.m. and will be available for viewing through the Chamber’s Facebook page. The nomination period for these awards is now open and both businesses and non-profits will be named as finalists in the coming weeks.

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

“The Chamber’s Small Business of the Year recognition has helped Habitat Wausau broaden our reach and elevate community conversations around affordable housing,” said Tiffany Arnold, Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity of Wausau. “We are honored to be included among the outstanding organizations recognized before us.”

For more information on the 2025 Small Business of the Year Awards, including a list of past recipients visit WausauChamber.com.

The Chamber’s annual Business EXPO is the largest Chamber tradeshow in the country. More than 130 booths have already been reserved for the event. The EXPO will be followed by the Fun@EXPO networking event at bantr in Rothschild. An Early Bird rate for EXPO exhibitors is available through the end of this month. Members of the Chamber are invited to reserve their booth space through the interactive map available on WausauChamber.com. Registration for the Fun@EXPO event will open soon.

The Small Business of the Year Awards and Business EXPO are sponsored at the platinum level by The Dirks Group and at the silver level by Health In Motion, Lakeland Care, Vitality Bar and Yach’s Body & Custom. The print media sponsor is The Business News. The printed map sponsor is RotoGraphic Printing Inc.

Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact Kaycee Packard, Director of Programs & Events, at kpackard@wausauchamber.com or 715-848-5955 to learn more.

Caption: The Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce announced the recipients of the 2025 Small Business of the Year Awards on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at the Business EXPO. Eleven businesses and organizations were named as finalists for the awards with In The Lite Electric and Habitat for Humanity of Wausau named the 2025 recipients.

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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.