A strong year in business at the 2022 CBAD awards

Josh Mazur
Chairman of the Board
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce has been honoring local companies for almost 100 years. It is incredible to share these entrepreneurial stories of growth and success. One of my favorite award categories is the annual Business of the Year award. It showcases the small and large companies that have exceled in areas such as revenue, innovation, customer service, professional development, company culture and community involvement.

2022 Small Business of the Year was awarded to Dempsey Construction.Dempsey Construction started here in Carlsbad over 12 years ago. Now they are $150M company doing business in 5 states throughout the west coast.

Our 2022 Small Business of the Year is Dempsey Construction. Dempsey Construction started here in Carlsbad over 12 years ago. Now they are $150M company doing business in 5 states throughout the west coast. They have grown from just a handful of employees to now over 70 staff members. In 2021 alone their staffing grew by 40%. The company’s founder, John Dempsey, started with the intention to provide opportunities for people to do great construction together. This vision has become a reality with hundreds of satisfied clients. Dempsey’s company culture is very important to them. Nick Alford, Vice President, shared how important their team members are by stating, “At Dempsey we are builders of people and places. There are a lot of companies that can build a building and have a beautiful end result. But we look at how that is done and who does it. And that starts with our people.” Beyond financial success, Dempsey is striving to make a difference in the community as well. Two key initiatives that they support are Humanity Showers for homeless community and the Challenged Athlete Foundation. Dempsey Construction is a great example of how small businesses are making a difference one relationship at a time.

Our Large Business of the Year is a leader in community involvement. As a bedrock of the North County community since 1961, Tri-City Medical Center improves the health and well-being of the people it serves. They spearhead programs with active leadership and a focus on educating the next generation of professionals. One of their overarching initiatives is called the COASTAL (Community Outreach And Support Through Active Leadership) Commitment. Aaron Byzak, Chief External Affairs Officer, shared that, “In the past two years, we have had over 87 partners working on 90 different projects throughout our community where we provide not only financial support, but we are actively leading, working hand-in-hand with nonprofits in our community to help elevate the quality of care in our community.” Another project they spearheaded was SOCAL (Student Opportunity for Career Awareness and Learning). SOCAL is a collaboration with the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce as well as other local chambers, the San Diego North Economic Development Council and all the local school districts. Through it, they are inspiring workforce development in the upcoming youth and getting key industries to work together. With a vision, 2300 dedicated employees, new facilities and innovative technology, Tri-City Medical Center provides world class healthcare every day.

Tri-City Medical Center, a leader in community involvement and top-notch well-being initiatives receives this year’s CBAD award for Large Business of the Year .

Our community is fortunate to have a plethora of creative and successful organizations making an impact on individuals’ lives. They have a commitment to uphold the values which support economic growth, financial stability, and a high standard quality of life. It takes courage through vulnerability to make it to the top. I congratulate all the nominees, finalists, and winners of this years’ Business of the Year awards!