Thursday, the Tempe Chamber of Commerce presented two companies with Business Excellence Awards, the organization’s top honor for commerce.
The Dhaba was named the Small Business of the Year. Caliente Construction was named the Large Business of the Year.
Both firms have a proven record of success and growth, community involvement, dedication to employees, leadership, reliability and commitment to customer service.
The Dhaba is an award-winning, contemporary Indian restaurant specializing in the cuisine of the Punjab region of northern India. It offers homemade breads; a healthy selection of locally-sourced, organic meat and vegetarian dishes; and traditional desserts and drinks. It is the heart of India Plaza on Apache Boulevard. In the 13 years since its founding, it has become a comprehensive destination for Indian food and culture.
Owner Raveen Arora began life as a refugee in impoverished Calcutta, India. After gaining an education and business skills, he built the highly respected restaurant which has served more than 1 million people. This year, Arora was selected by the National Restaurant Association as the Face of Diversity in Arizona for his leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion in the community.
Caliente Construction is a family-owned general contractor providing new construction and renovation services. It was founded in 1991 by high school sweethearts Tom and Lorraine Bergman. In 2014 it relocated its headquarters and 80 employees to Tempe. The firm sources all of its outside services and partnerships from local companies headquartered in Arizona. It’s a 5-time winner of the state’s “Best of the Best” award for a perfect safety record. Additionally, it practices sustainable construction and its projects include a material recycling program.
It is a top five fund raiser for The American Cancer Society’s annual “Climb for the Cure” and supports the Phoenix Children’s Museum Sandfest, Madison Street Veterans Association and Tempe Cares. The award-winning company was recently recognized as Arizona’s 28th largest contractor and the 5th largest woman-owned business in the state.
Ranking Arizona also named it #1 in Tenant Improvement, and the #2 Overall Contractor.
“The Dhaba and Caliente Construction are outstanding examples of the type of business that makes our city thrive,” said Mary Ann Miller, president and CEO of the Tempe Chamber. “Their passionate dedication to their customers, staff and the community are unparalleled. We are proud they’re part of the Tempe Chamber, and we celebrate their continued success.”
The awards were presented on June 16 at the Tempe Chamber’s Annual Luncheon at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel.
The other finalists for the Business Excellence Awards were: ARCpoint Labs, Bullock Training and Development, Edward Jones and the Tempe Mission Palms hotel.
