Published: June 02, 2009 01:57 pm      

1:57 pm: FAST claims small business award

By BILL O'BRIEN

bobrien@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — A therapy clinic that grew from a small operation launched in 2005 to a state-of-the-art fitness and health center is the winner of the 2009 Hagerty Small Business of Year Award.

FAST Physical Therapy and FAST Fitness of Traverse City received the honor today at a luncheon presented by the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce and held at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City.

Rex Holden started the company almost four years ago with his wife, Jill, and two employees. It’s grown to a staff of 25 employees and two locations, one in the Copper Ridge development along West Silver Lake Road in Traverse City and the other in Elk Rapids.

“It’s been a great process,” Holden said of the Small Business of the Year competition. “It was exciting ... we learned a lot from other businesses in our community.”

Other finalists for the award were Air Services, Banfield Pet Hospital, Comfort Keepers, Larkin Group, Lindy Lazar Marketing & Communications, Ollar Consulting, OptiTemp, Brooke & Wes Schultz Dentistry and Team Bob’s.