Baumgartens Selected As Finalist For The 2011 Georgia Small Family Business- Of-The-Year Award

Online, August 24, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Baumgartens, a woman-owned business that manufactures people- and planet-friendly products, was recently selected as a finalist for this year's Georgia Family Business of the Year Award for the small business category . The award, given by The Cox Family Enterprise Center, housed at Kennesaw State University's Coles College of Business, is dedicated to recognizing outstanding family firms that promote family involvement in the business, innovative business practices or strategies, contributions to the community and business success.

Baumgartens will be honored at the 20th anniversary Georgia Family Business of the Year Awards dinner, co-hosted by Georgia Trend magazine and sponsored by J. Smith Lanier & Co. on November 29, 2011 at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta.

Founded in 1987, the Cox Family Enterprise Center has been dedicated to the education, recognition and research of family businesses. The center is the largest and one of the first university-based centers of its kind in the United States today. It began the Georgia Family Business of the Year competition in 1991.

"These family businesses are great examples of how family and business mix well for the benefit of our communities," said Joe Astrachan, executive director of the Cox Family Enterprise Center. "These families have shown how care and concern for employees, customers and the community can insulate us all against the ravages of rampant self-interest and outright greed."

Baumgartens was started back in Austria in the 1800s, four generations ago. Today, Jean Baumgarten, president and chair-of-the-board, leads the company. Jean is the wife of Hans Baumgarten, the current treasurer and son of company founder Fred Baumgarten. Their son, David, is vice president. Baumgartens employs 16 people as well as over 40 reps around the country. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Baumgartens began by importing high quality German pencil sharpeners. More than 60 years later, the award winning company has experienced unprecedented recognition from peers by introducing innovative products to the national market.

"Some years back we declared that our team is here to develop new, unique products that make a difference for people," said David Baumgarten, vice president. "Georgia became our families' home and safe haven from the devastation after WWII. Recognition for such a special hometown award that acknowledges our contribution to our state over the years is only equal at best to what Georgia has provided to all of us over many generations."

About Baumgartens
Baumgartens is a woman-owned family business supplying unique, innovative products to the school, home, office and janitorial/sanitation market that make a difference to thousands of retailers and wholesalers across the U.S.A. Baumgartens successful environmental program, business paradigms, flexible programs and award-winning customer service are unrivaled in the office supply industry. The company supports American Forests® Global ReLeaf initiative, planting thousands of trees and offsetting hundreds of thousands of pounds of harmful greenhouse gasses. It aims to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2015. For more information, visit our websites at www.baumgartens.com and www.conservebrand.com.
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