Nominee Narratives: Spirit of Collierville
Presented by Simmons Banks and the Collierville Chamber of Commerce, the annual Excellence in Business Awards serves as an opportunity to recognize those that set a standard for excellence in their respected category and strive for innovation in local business.
As this year’s Spirit of Collierville nominees, Edward Jones–Kevin Baltier, Alston Construction, State Farm – Joe Sarrio Insurance Agency, and The Skybox Grill are always on the sidelines rooting for their business community.
Edward Jones – Kevin Baltier
As a Certified Financial Planner since 2006 and a member of Edward Jones since 2000, Kevin Baltier and his Edward Jones office team approach their business as more than just numbers. “It’s always about relationships and the personal care we offer our clients,” Baltier comments.
Baltier is no stranger to developing relationships both professionally and civically. He’s taken his problem-solving skills and his strong work ethic, honed through business, and brought them to bear on a host of community activities.
He has served on the Board of the Collierville Chamber of Commerce for ten years and currently serves as Chairman of the board. Additionally, he chairs the Collierville Rotary Club’s Golf Committee, the group that oversees that organization’s primary annual fundraising effort.
Baltier has been a resident of the area since moving here with his family in 1976. He is a graduate of Germantown High School and Memphis State University, and he and his family have been residents of Collierville since 1999. Baltier is one of the top 50 of the 19,000 Edward Jones Financial Advisors nationwide.
The Skybox Grill
Now in their seventh year, Skybox Grill prides itself on good food in a family atmosphere, and owner John Cunningham is proud to work right alongside his three children. “We’re family-owned and family-operated.”
From their great gastropub food – like a wonderful steak sandwich – to 17 HDTVs showcasing local sports and 12 beers on tap, Skybox offers something for everyone.
Combining hard work with good people, Cunningham is proud to have witnessed growth of Skybox even through the recent pandemic. The secret to his success: good service and good food.
Cunningham loves his connection to Collierville and is proud to be in a “town that is a tight-knit community. We help each other.”
Alston Construction
It’s a success story any way you look at it. Alston Construction became a presence in the Memphis market in 2004 and found a perfect home in Collierville in 2018. Every step along the way, they’ve grown as a company and as a community partner.
Alston Construction is the 56 largest general contractor and 24th largest Design Build Contractor in the nation, with the company focusing on light build manufacturing and industrial, multifamily, office, retail and so much more.
And the person taking the helm of Alston’s Collierville office seems tireless in his devotion to work and community. Chad Lindsay involves himself and Alston in a wide range of activities. Whether it’s his personal involvement in Collierville Rotary as a board member and Public Image Committee Chair: his membership on the Collierville Chamber board and his company’s sponsorship of a host of Chamber functions; his work for the Collierville Education Foundation as a board member and the director of his company’s grants to that organization, or his work with the Collierville Balloon Festival as a board member and volunteer, Lindsay is ready to lead the charge or simply lend a hand.
Alston Construction is about building.
State Farm – Joe Sarrio Insurance Company
Joe Sarrio’s State Farm Agency has provided a full-service insurance agency to the citizens of Collierville and beyond for the past 13 years. Whether it’s auto, life, umbrella, or commercial and business insurance, the Sarrio Agency has met the needs of their clients, and the agency’s growth has boomed over those years.
Sarrio meets more than simply the insurance needs of the community he loves. “I’ve seen the community grow from 16,000 to 60,000 since I’ve been here. We still have a small-town feel, and we are such a tight-knit community. There’s a sense of community here, and people support Collierville.”
He’s one such supporter. Actively involved in Rotary Club, Sarrio also serves on the Collierville Chamber of Commerce Board, the Board of Main Street Collierville, and the Collierville Education Board.
From his days as a soccer player for the Collierville Red Dragons, Sarrio has had his heart in Collierville. Joe Sarrio has always played – and worked – like it really matters. That passion and hard work has proven to be a winning combination for a business and a community.
The 2021 Excellence in Business Awards, scheduled for Thursday, March 3, is sold-out. Learn more about the other nominees being recognized here.
