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Outstanding Local Businesses

Outstanding Local Business Award Recipients for September 2021

September’s list contains twelve outstanding local businesses who are being recognized for their contribution to their customers, clients, and the local community.

By: Sylvia Slezak | Sep 2021

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Services provided by these businesses include accounting, endodontics, eye specialty care, funeral services, general contracting, glass repairs, home health care, insurance, investigations, metal/welding industrial works, and property management.

A.A. Rayner & Sons - Chicago, IL

A.A. Rayner and Sons Funeral Home most definitely knows how to help celebrate a loved one’s life. Seeped in Chicago’s rich history, the legacy of its founder, Mr. AA Rayner Sr., continues to be a fixture in Chicago and the surrounding area by providing only the best in funerals, memorials, and cremation services.

Ahmed A. Rayner, Sr. established the A.A. Rayner & Sons Funeral Home in 1947, working with his children, A.A. “Sammy” Rayner Jr., Anne Rayner, Susie J. Rayner, and John B. Rayner, in addition to his brother, Loris M. Rayner. As the business grew and expanded to various locations, more family members joined. In 1997, A.A. Rayner & Sons celebrated their 50th Anniversary and marked the anniversary with an extensive renovation of the 318 East 71st Street funeral home. With the addition of Charles S. Childs, III and Tracy Rayner, the family’s fourth generation continues to provide service and is committed to the communities in which they serve.

Advanced Care Endodontics - Stow, OH

Established in 1995 by David J. Harris, Jr., DDS, MSD, Advanced Care Endodontics is a dental practice that is dedicated exclusively to providing root canal therapy. Additional services include endodontic retreatment, apicoectomy, and emergency care required for cracked teeth and traumatic injuries. The office, located in Stow, OH, serves Akron, Columbus, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, and Kent, Ohio.

Dr. Harris is able to see tiny details inside each tooth by using microscopes that provide magnification and fiber optic illumination, while the 3-D imaging technology allows him to customize dental treatments like never before. His experience and commitment to providing the highest standard of care for his patients is evident by his pursuit of exceeding the continuing education requirements for his profession. Dr. Harris stays abreast of the newest advances in endodontics, implant dentistry, general dentistry, pain management including oral sedation, digital radiography and 3-D imaging, and Occupational, Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Advanced Practice Management - Columbus, OH

While the core business originated in 1931 and has changed ownership several times, Advanced Practice Management was incorporated in 1985 and started a transition from general, personal and business accounting to health care practices. By becoming industry specific, it has allowed the company to focus all of their knowledge and attention on the professional health care practices. The company’s services provide an extra dimension in ability, effort and service in the dental, medical, and veterinary industries, where seasoned professionals deal with all aspects of office management and financial reporting in the greater Central Ohio area.

With over forty years of extensive experience in health care, Certified Public Accountant and owner of Advanced Practice Management, Steve Barnes’ past and present business entities have given him a unique perspective and knowledge. He understands billing and receivable management, clinical flow, computerization, building design, and human resource management.

Advantage Insights - Omaha, NE

A cutting-edge financial insights firm headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Advantage Insights combines thirty years of experience, expertise, and team mentality to provide every client with the focused attention, advice and thorough analysis that they deserve. The firm’s use of the latest technology allows their team to serve and grow with clients in a cost-effective manner.

Mary Ferry, founder of Advantage Insights, has extensive experience in‍ accounting, budgeting, financial analysis, reporting, planning and process improvement. She worked within a wide range of businesses from Fortune 100 companies to entrepreneurial start-ups, as well as the private sector as Staff Accountant, Manager, Controller, Director and Senior Director for various publicly held and privately held entities. She has an ability to drive process improvement, efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness, across accounting and business functions. Over the years, Mary managed banking, leasing, financing and risk relationships, and was responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, job costing, forecasting, planning, capital spending, financial analysis and supply chain contracts.

Cosby Property Management - Virginia Beach, VA

The Cosby Property Management team in Virginia Beach provides residential sales, buyer representation, and property management that is dedicated to taking the hassle of managing property. With their sharp eye for quality, detail, and maintenance issues, Delwyn and Jo Ellen Cosby bring a new dimension to the entire residential home selling process. Jo Ellen is an Accredited Staging Professional with a keen eye for interior and exterior decorating, and Delwyn’s ten-plus years of realtor success can be attributed to his rare ability to consult, listen and deliver results.

After thirty years of service as a Naval Officer, Delwyn retired from the Navy and began his real estate career as an investor in residential properties. Entering the world of real estate sales was a natural transition for Delwyn. As a long-term investor in residential properties, he already had a strong grasp of how financial and market dynamics influence pricing and the investment performance of real estate. Delwyn also teaches as an Adjunct Professor various lower level business courses and “Principles of Real Estate” at Thomas Nelson Community College. Delwyn’s blog focuses on Hampton Roads Real Estate, and is just one of the many ways that he uses web technology and social media for providing meaningful content to current and potential clients.

Discovery Detective Group - Scottsdale, AZ

For more than twenty years, Discovery Detective Group has been applying their knowledge to solve problems as a distinguished full service investigation firm. As the firm grows, it continues to have one of the best track records for finding people and their assets. G.E. Capital called them their secret weapon. Discovery Detective Group is a small enough firm where each client is special and will not get lost in the shuffle, yet large enough to have a team of experienced, trained, and licensed investigators, process servers, and legal specialists to do the very best job for every case, every time. Discovery Detective Group directors, Dana Young and Marc Allan, bring over fifty years of combined experience; Dana Young in investigating, case directing, educating and managing a full service investigation firm, and Marc Allen working high profile cases such as the Marilyn Monroe murder investigation.

Ms. Young is credited for locating the key players of five of the largest fraud rings in the past twenty years. She was the President of the Arizona state investigation association AALPI (2012-2016), AZ DPS Board Chair for the Investigator & Security Guard Hearing Board (2012-2016), and currently serves on the Arizona Supreme Court Board for Confidential Intermediaries. Mr. Allan founded Discovery Detective Academy, a state licensed vocational college that grants certification for investigators nationally, and takes an active role in all of the Academy's operations and curriculum. He also has years of experience as a PADI divemaster, underwater search and rescue, emergency first medical responder for mountaineering, and is the handler for Lakota, the firm’s scent canine.

Glass Doctor® of Raleigh - Raleigh, NC

Looking to open up his own business and seeing a great potential in a Glass Doctor® Franchise, Wayne Gaudette opened Glass Doctor® of Raleigh in February of 1992 and continues to serve business owners, home owners, and automobile owners in the Triangle, Apex, Cary, Durham, Morrisville, Raleigh and surrounding areas. The company’s trusted glass specialists install, repair, replace, and renovate glass products quickly. Their exceptional service and quality work has made them a go-to in the area when it comes to the care and repair of doors, windows, showers, and more.

Glass Doctor of Raleigh not only serves the Triangle area, but strives to give back to the community by supporting various organizations throughout the year. The company regularly supports the Ronald McDonald House of Durham, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, St. Jude's Children Hospital, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Wake County.

Perillo Construction, Inc. - Coral Gables, FL

Tenant property management and general contractor, Perillo Construction, Inc. serves as the middleman between tenants, landlords, property owners, overall construction and design, and provides quality build-outs and renovations. Perillo Construction in Coral Gables Florida is a full service interior-contracting firm that provides important consulting services prior to and throughout a building project development. Enduring relationships with its clients, architects, subcontractors, and suppliers, P.C.I. works as a team member with the developer, architect and tenant to produce a quality, cost-effective construction project. Mr. Perillo settled in South Florida following the completion of the Barnett Center of Miami in 1980 and formed the FICO Construction Company. He changed the company’s name to Perillo Construction Inc. (PCI) in 1995 to reflect the family name in his business. Mr. Perillo is licensed by the State of Florida as a Certified General Contractor.

Queen City Homecare, LLC - Cincinnati, OH

Founder and CEO of Queen City Homecare, Aaron Stapleton decided to start a new type of private duty company in 2021. As people age, they start to need assistance taking care of themselves. This can happen in their home, in an independent living facility or an assisted living facility. Queen City Homecare’s goal is to keep the client safely in the place they call home. All care is provided by Queen City Homecare’s exceptional field staff while the patient’s clinical needs and progress are monitored by a nurse. This helps to avoid the difficult and costly alternatives while keeping the family member comfortably at home, and providing the appropriate level of service and safety necessary for the patient’s individual needs.

The company provides a superior level of care to patients and their families with needed in-home assistance bestowed on both patient and families to help each cope during difficult times; focusing on patient-centered care for the clients and not just companionship. The all-encompassing senior home care in Cincinnati Ohio, Queen City Homecare offers geriatric care management, private duty nursing, and caregiving by nurse aides. The company is fully insured and all of its employees go through extensive background checks.

VistaNational Insurance Group - Chicago, IL

From healthcare to Medicare, the firm’s comprehensive portfolio of group benefit products and services, combined with extensive expertise and industry inside knowledge, helps clients small and large to get the most out of their group benefit program. The firm was founded in November of 1996 by David Schwimmer, after he served at a major insurance brokerage for more than ten years. As new technologies emerged, VistaNational kept its clients on the leading edge by building its portfolio of services and time-saving applications. Today, the company has grown to more than thirty employees with five additional partners that brought more than two hundred years of combined experience to its team.

Mr. Schwimmer personally manages the underwriting and rate negotiating for many of VistaNational’s groups and serves as a Senior Broker/Consultant, Principal, President and CEO of the firm. Prior to founding VistaNational, Mr. Schwimmer spent ten years with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBS) as a senior marketing representative. His training and experience with BCBS gives him extensive knowledge of the products and underwriting practices of insurance carriers. After leaving his position as a carrier executive, David ventured into a partnership with a brokerage firm for ten years. Collectively, he has more than three decades of experience.

Westlake Eye Specialists - Austin, TX

Staffed by ophthalmologists, eye doctors and professional staff dedicated to providing patients with excellent care, Westlake Eye Specialists has offices in Austin, Village at Kyle, and New Braunfels. Their technical personnel undergo extensive training and continued education that includes certification by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Professionals in Ophthalmology requiring rigorous written and practical testing. Zarmeena Vendal, MD, owner of Westlake Eye Specialists, provides cutting-edge surgical care with a personal touch. Her specialties include glaucoma, PRELEX vision correction surgery, laser-assisted cataract surgery, and dry eyes. After training at Harvard’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for glaucoma, Dr. Vendal brought MIGS technology to the Austin area with the use of the OMNI canaloplasty device allowing for a minimally invasive approach to glaucoma surgery. She was also the first surgeon in the U.S. to use the RESTOR Active Focus Toric implant that gave patients access to both near vision and astigmatism correction at the same time.

Dr. Vendal is a board-certified ophthalmologist and surgeon, a Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology, and more than fifteen years of practice in Central Texas. She was voted “Austin Top Doc” by her peers in 2013, 2019, 2020, recognized as a “Woman to Watch” by Austin Women Magazine in 2017, and named a candidate for the “Leukemia Lymphoma Society’s Man/Woman of the Year” initiative in Austin in 2019. Dr. Vendal currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Contemporary Austin Museum.

Wyler Industrial Works - El Paso, TX

Serving the Southwest for more than one hundred years, Wyler Industrial Works is an all-encompassing, full service team, dealing with every aspect of industrial repair to meet the needs of El Paso’s community. They are the only team that provides full service capability in West Texas and Southern New Mexico. Specialty services include boiler repair, welding, pressure piping, welding and machine shop, combustion control, and other services.

Back in the 1880s, Oliver Dutton, a machinist who owned a bicycle shop, set up his storefront in El Paso because of his interests in railroad expansions. Dutton eventually turned his bicycle shop into a spare parts business providing parts to those traveling through El Paso. Then in 1906, he teamed up with J.C. House and T.C. Link to create a new company called Union Iron and Brass Works. As the company continued to grow, John O. Wyler and J.F. Baumgarten joined the company in 1911, eventually gained control and renamed the company in 1913 to Baumgarten and Wyler, at which time it specialized in manufacturing brass products and making general repairs. After Wyler purchased Baumgarten’s shares and partnered up with Otto J. Wyler and Harvey Wilson in 1923, the company was renamed Wyler Industrial Works. But the transitions didn’t end there. After John O. Wyler’s death, the company was purchased by long-time employee, L. Paul Berry, who with his wife, Patricia, owned and managed the company for many years, and when he retired, his son Curtis M. Berry took over. As of 2001, Fred A. Duvall, III is president of Wyler Industrial Works, Inc.


CityOf.com showcases thousands of incredible businesses in more than 300 industry categories that are located in over 100 major U.S. cities. The Outstanding Local Business Award (OLBA) is given to locally-owned and operated businesses in recognition of their services to the local community and have met all of the Criteria listed on https://www.cityof.com/outstanding-local-business-award-badge

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