Newtron Beaumont LLC of Nederland, The Chef’s House in Cleveland, and Spindletop Center of Beaumont are the winners of the 2013 Torch Awards for Marketplace Trust presented Tuesday night, May 7, by the Better Business Bureau in Southeast Texas during its 16th annual awards presentation banquet.  The event was held at the Beaumont Civic Center with 650 in attendance. 

The BBB Consumer Education Foundation, Inc. announced a major expansion of its Scholarship Funding that will now include all four-area higher education institutions - Lamar University, Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar State College - Port Arthur, and Lamar State College - Orange.  Proceeds from the Torch Award Banquet and silent auction, combined with matching funds raised at each institution, allowed the BBB to provide $50,000 toward scholarships for college students across Southeast Texas.  Total contributions over the past 16 years now totals $200,000.

The event also celebrated the Better Business Bureau serving Southeast Texas for 50 years.  The following businesses were inducted into the Inaugural Hall of Fame, being BBB Accredited since 1963.

Alter’s Gem Jewelry

Automatic Pump & Equipment

Bill Clark Pest Control, Inc.

Broussard’s Mortuary

Burris Transfer & Storage

Coastal Pools, Inc.

Coburn Supply Company

Conn’s HomePlus

Howell Furniture

KBMT-TV Channel 12

KFDM-TV Channel 6

R.O. Williams & Co., Inc. – Insurance

Southeast Texas Water Conditioning, Inc.

Bill Clark, President/Owner of Bill Clark Pest Control, and the Rotary Club of Beaumont each received this year's recognition as the "Friend of the BBB."  Becky Mason, President of the Rotary Club of Beaumont, accepted on their behalf.

Finalists for this year's awards included: 

For-Profit category, Large Business

Newtron Beaumont LLC of Nederland 

Philpott Motors in Nederland

A Pizza My Heart, Inc. DBA Papa John’s Pizza of Nederland

For-Profit category, Small Business

American Steam-A-Way/Summer’s Abbey Flooring -Port Neches

PRIMCO in Beaumont

The Chef’s House of Cleveland 

Non-Profit category

Habitat for Humanity of Jefferson County in Beaumont

Industrial Safety Training Council of Nederland

Spindletop Center in Beaumont 

Newtron Beaumont LLC was the For-Profit Large Business winner, The Chef’s House was the For-Profit Small Business winner, and Spindletop Center was the Non-Profit winner.  Larry Beaulieu, former General Manager of KFDM-TV, was the Master of Ceremonies at this year's award gathering. 

For more information about BBB, visit www.bbb.org.  In Southeast Texas, call 409/835-5348 or 855/BBB-SETX.