Best of Central Valley Business Awards: Professional services and business support winners

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, The Business Journal hosted its 11th annual Best of Central Valley Business Awards dinner. Some of the Valley’s biggest names in business were in attendance at Pardini’s Catering to celebrate their achievements and be featured as one of the Valley’s top honorees, voted on by readers of The Business Journal.

Today, The Business Journal highlights its professional services and business support award recipients. Congratulations to all winners.

Best Elected Official: Jerry Dyer

1st Finalist: Mike Karbassi
2nd Finalist: Nathan Magsig

Written by: Frank Lopez

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer has had a busy year capped off by readers voting him Best Elected Official for three years in a row.

Dyer was re-elected as mayor in March, capturing over 81% of the vote for his second term.

The mayor can tout some successes that resonated with voters, including addressing homelessness near freeways, graffiti, blight and lowering the crime rate.

Dyer continues to spread his message of “One Fresno” to unify the city, and has also been a longtime advocate for the Downtown area.

Just this October, he announced the start of infrastructure improvements to water and sewer systems in Downtown Fresno and Chinatown.

Last month, Dyer visited the Persian Gulf country of Qatar to promote Fresno as a prime investment opportunity. The trip was funded by the Qatari Embassy.

“They’ve already invested over $70 billion in the US, and I’m here to ensure they see Fresno as an excellent opportunity,” said Dyer.

Dyer has also been active in bringing attention to the city’s Façade Improvement Program to enhance the public-facing side of small businesses.

He has also been busy securing state funds to improve various facets of the city. Including $52.1 million in funding for improvements to local road and air transportation systems.

Best Accounting Firm: Moss Adams LLP

1st Finalist: Ratzlaff Tamberi & Wong
2nd Finalist: Moore, Grider & Co.

Written by: Jesus Herrera

Moss Adams LLP for the third year straight has been voted the best accounting firm in the Central Valley by Business Journal readers.

“We’re always honored and humbled to be nominated for these kind of awards,” said Chris Morse, partner in charge at the Moss Adams Fresno branch. “I think it’s validation of all the hard work that the team puts in taking care of our clients, but also taking care of each other.”

Founded in Seattle, Washington, Moss Adams got its start in the Valley in 2016 with a team of just 25 accountants, according to Morse. Today the Fresno branch alone has about 90 active accountants, each specialized in one or more industry groups.

Going into the New Year, Morse said the Moss Adam team’s focus will be on the possible impacts of the “micro” and “macro” economy on their client base.

“For us, it’s staying focused on our two main assets, which are our people and our clients, putting them at the forefront of our decisions,” Morse said.

Best Law Firm: McCormick Barstow LLC

1st Finalist: Fennemore Dowling Aaron
2nd Finalist: Baker Manock & Jensen

Written by: Alex Light

Since 1951, McCormick Barstow LLP has grown to be one of the biggest law firms in the Central Valley with more than 80 attorneys working across three different states and representing clients in a variety of industries.

For the 11th year in a row, McCormick Barstow LLP has secured its spot as Best Law Firm in the Central Valley.

This accomplishment is thanks to the quality of not just the work that they do, but the quality of the lawyers they employ and a “client first” mentality, according to Dave McNamara, a partner with the firm.

To McNamara, fostering a collaborative environment amongst the team, as well as mentoring younger lawyers, helps make the firm stronger and opens more doors for growth.

“When I started with the firm, there were many people I could go to for mentoring,” said McNamara, who started with McCormick Barstow in 1987. “There’s always opportunities to learn and people have an open door policy, so here we get the benefit of learning, not only from your own mistakes, but those of your colleagues.”

Best Marketing Agency: JP Marketing

1st Finalist: Jeffery Scott Agency
2nd Finalist: Cohen Communications

Written by: Jesus Herrera

This year marks many things for JP Marketing, including continuing their now 11-year streak as Business Journal readers’ best marketing agency in the Central Valley.

“It’s an honor, and we’re so excited to be able to be part of the business award since the very beginning. I’d like to say that we’re just really about celebrating and supporting Central Valley businesses. I know that we’re excited to see a lot of our business partners on the list,” said Jeanna Antonino, vice president of operations.

Antonino also talked about how for around the last year and a half, the company has been refining its brand story and looking toward the future leading up to its 30th anniversary this month.

Specifically, how they have tried to position themselves as the “creator” that collaborates closely with its clients, who it refers to as the “heroes” working to support the local community.

“It’s important to us to make sure that we’re helping the community and helping our clients within the community achieve their goals,” Antonino said.

Founded by current CEO Jane Olvera Majors in 1994, the company has kept its California/Central Valley focus helping its clients achieve their goals regardless of the type of campaign.

Antonino explained how their team sees their role as “creators” helping “heroes.” In recent years the company has worked on campaigns like Beautify Fresno and the California Highway Patrol 2023 anti-street racing/sideshow campaign.

Best Chamber of Commerce: Fresno Chamber of Commerce

1st Finalist: Clovis Chamber of Commerce
2nd Finalist: Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Written by: Dylan Gonzalez

For the 11th straight year, the Fresno Chamber of Commerce has been voted as the best chamber of commerce.

The Fresno Chamber of Commerce has won the award every year since the debut of the “Best of” awards in 2014, when it was known as the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce.

Scott Miller has been CEO of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce since 2021 when he took over as interim CEO.

“We’re very appreciative,” Miller said of being named a finalist for the award. “We’re very honored that we have made the list again and can’t wait to come to the event.”

It was another successful year for the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. One of the several bright sports was Leadership Fresno Class 39.

Leadership Fresno is a nine-month program “designed to empower you to shape and understand our community like never before. Have conversations with our incredible LF alumni, hear their inspiring stories, and uncover the endless benefits this program offers,” according to a Facebook post from the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.

While mentoring current community leaders through Leadership Fresno, the chamber is also preparing future leaders with its Junior Board program.

“It is made up of mostly valedictorian level kids from around the county who are learning about all of the different things that it takes to make Fresno County run,” Miller said. “It’s really been a great year for the chamber.”

Best Employment Service: PrideStaff

1st Finalist: Denham
2nd Finalist: Hire Up Staffing Services

Written by: Frank Lopez

This year marks the ninth in a row that PrideStaff has been voted as best employment service in the Central Valley.

Headquartered in Fresno, PrideStaff was founded in 1978, expanding with franchises in 1995. There is a total of 85 PrideStaff locations across the country, with more opening in 2025.

PrideStaff works with more than 200 companies in the counties of Fresno, Kings, Madera and Tulare, issuing approximately 30,000 W-2 forms annually — with more than 5,000 of them being local.

PrideStaff Vice President of Branch Operations Sean Akin said 2024 was both challenging and rewarding, with the team navigating a competitive talent market where finding skilled candidates remains a challenge.

Despite the challenges, Akin said PrideStaff is able to connect their clients with the talent they needed.

He said many professionals are reevaluating their career paths, leaving traditional industries for roles with more flexibility, work-life balance and opportunities in emerging fields.

The transitioning presidential administration is leaving businesses optimistic, Akin said, and its expected demand for talent will continue across all sectors.

He said the team at PrideStaff is honored to be nominated once again.

“This nomination reflects the hard work and dedication of our team and the trust of our clients and candidates,” Akin said. “It’s a testament to our mission of making meaningful connections that drive success. Regardless of the outcome, we’re grateful for the recognition and inspired to continue delivering excellence in staffing.”

Best Office Equipment Company: California Business Machines

1st Finalist: Caltronics Business Systems
2nd Finalist: Automated Office Systems

Written by: Jesus Herrera

For the past 10 years straight, California Business Machines has been Business Journal readers’ best office equipment company. President Teri Brymer credits this decade’s achievement to their focus on customer service and flexibility for the future.

“We’ve always had a mission that our customer comes first,” Brymer said. “We have to understand their needs and figure out what the solution is to their needs.”

Founded by her parents in 1953 selling typewriters and adding machines, Brymer has grown the business since taking over in 2011 to now include but not limited to phone systems, EV chargers and copiers/printers.

With no plans to end her run with the business, Brymer started making moves to have the company continue after her. Despite receiving many offers over the years, she searched for someone who held the same values as her and would keep both the company and employees intact.

She would eventually find the perfect fit in WiZiX Technology Group, with the merger announced in August of this year.

“[WiZiX] had its beginnings in Fresno, and they’ve operated in the Central Valley and then in the Northern California,” Brymer said. “So, I consider them still a local company or a small company. Rather than in our industry, there are what we call mega dealers.”

As California Business Machines looks to the future, Brymer is confident that the WiZiX merger will only strengthen the company’s position as the premier office equipment provider in the region. With a renewed focus on growth and innovation, the next decade of excellence is sure to be even brighter.

Best Security Company: Matson Alarm Co.

1st Finalist: Turner Security Systems, Inc.
2nd Finalist: Geil Enterprises, Inc. D.B.A. CIS Security

Written by: Ramon Castanos

Matson Alarm Co. is once again victorious in the Best Local Security Company category for The Best of Central Valley Business Awards.

Trina Paige, general manager of Matson Alarm, expresses her deep gratitude for the award. She notes that the company has a long history in the Central Valley, dating back to 1974.

“Founded in 1974 by brothers Larry and Mike Matson, Matson Alarm joined the Pye-Barker Fire & Safety family of companies in 2022 with the goal of enhancing its service offerings to customers and providing more growth opportunities for its team members,” said Paige.

They offer a full selection security products for commercial and residential customers, such as alarm monitoring, fire alarm systems, commercial security systems, cameras, video monitoring, and access control systems. Paige explains that they always consider the needs of their consumers first.

“The Matson Alarm team is local to the community, and work is completed in-house by individuals who know the area and are committed to protecting the community,” said Paige. “While local, the company also has the advantage of being supported with additional resources and the expertise of Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, the U.S. leader in fully integrated life safety systems.”

Paige mentions that security is important today because there have been “emergent threats” to people’s and businesses’ safety. They want to collaborate with their customers to help them feel safe.

“With modern technology used by Matson, customers are empowered to manage their properties from wherever they are and know that they are backed by 24/7 monitoring,” said Paige. “That peace of mind is important.”