Screen printing company sweeps awards

Company wins small business of year; staff member wins employee award

Jeff and Stacey DeLong, owners of Custom Screen Printing & Embroidery, hug each other Friday after being named the Small Business of the Year at the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce's Small Business of the Year and Exceptional Employee luncheon at Capital Mall. Dana Davis, who works at the screen printing business, received the Exceptional Employee award.
Jeff and Stacey DeLong, owners of Custom Screen Printing & Embroidery, hug each other Friday after being named the Small Business of the Year at the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce's Small Business of the Year and Exceptional Employee luncheon at Capital Mall. Dana Davis, who works at the screen printing business, received the Exceptional Employee award.

Custom Screen Printing & Embroidery had a clean sweep at the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce' Small Business & Employee Award Luncheon on Friday.

Dana Davis, who's worked at the business for 15 years, first won the Exceptional Employee award. Just a few minutes later, owners Stacey and Jeff DeLong accepted the award for Small Business of the Year.

Each year, the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce holds the awards luncheon to honor members of the city's close-knit business community during its Business and Lifestyles Expo.

Stacey and Jeff DeLong said the Small Business of the Year award represents 20 years of hard work. They're just as happy though to see his long-time employee and friend win the Exceptional Employee award.

"She's like one of our little family members," Stacey said. "We see her give so much to the customers. So, she takes her job very personally."

Davis was just as happy her company won the Small Business of the Year award.

"I was hoping," Davis said. "We've got a lot of hard workers in that place."

As they made their way to the stage to accept the award, Jeff said the honor meant a lot to him.

"This means more to me than I thought it would," he said through tears.

Throughout the business' 20-year history, the DeLongs said many things have changed. Given the rise of e-commerce, people want T-shirts and goods made faster than they did when the business was founded.

After the event, he added the award represents decades of hard work for him, Stacey and their employees.

"We live and breathe this stuff," Jeff said. "To see it recognized is a big deal."

Davis first met Stacey while working at Dillard's. When she started working at the company, Custom Screen Printing & Embroidery had just four employees. Today, it has 17, all of whom were at the luncheon.

Afterward, she said she was overwhelmed by the honor and loves working for her friend.

"They take care of all of us," Davis said. "It's exciting."

About 18 nominees were named for both competitions, with four finalists being selected for both awards. Gratz Real Estate & Auctioneering, U.S. Rents It and All Clear Pumping & Sewer were also finalists for the Small Business of the Year award.

Dave Clark from Millard Family Chapels, Mary Wieberg of Capital Region Medical Center and Darian Werdehausen were also named finalists for the Exceptional Employee award.