It was hardly a year ago when Macomb County business luminaries gathered for the 12th annual Macomb Business Awards at Andiamo’s Warren location, a celebratory morning for the entire county’s business community but especially so for that of Sterling Heights. The hometown businesses exhibited a powerful performance at those 2024 awards, winning four out of the eight awards presented that day. It was a winner’s circle that included AGS Automotive Systems for Best Place to Work; Deer Camp Coffee Roasting Company & Outfitters for Hidden Gem; Epoch Expressions for Startup of the Year; and Velocity for Economic Development Partner of the Year.

This year’s Macomb Business Awards event was especially notable to the Sterling Heights business community for an altogether different reason: Sterling Heights was host city for the 13th annual awards, which was held the morning of Thursday, May 15, at the AMC 30 Forum movie theater complex.

Sterling Heights took home a few trophies on that day, too.

And they’re just getting started. On the doorstep of summer, Sterling Heights businesses have already put an exclamation point on the year as accolades and awards have flooded the business community and, in turn, the city itself. It’s served as a welcome lift above the news of economic uncertainty that has so far permeated 2025, an endorsement of local small businesses and the power of entrepreneurship.

A spotlight shines

Organizations based in Sterling Heights represented the city well at this year’s Macomb Business Awards, taking home three awards on their home turf.

Macomb County Planning and Economic DevelopmentAward winners at the 2025 Macomb Business Awards in Sterling Heights.And what a home turf it is for Xpert Technologies, an IT support and cybersecurity service firm that took home this year’s award for Best Place to Work. As for why that is? The Macomb County Planning and Economic Development provides that “the company has 14 employees who receive outstanding benefits, including free health care, a 401k match, summer hours, a lunch stipend and a company bonus pool for profit sharing. But beyond those extras, Xpert provides an environment where employee needs are prioritized and every individual is treated with respect. The result of this is an average tenure of over 10 years, a figure which demonstrates why it’s Macomb County’s Best Place to Work for 2025.”

Also taking home an award was industrial robot manufacturer KUKA Systems North America, which is headquartered in Sterling Heights but has a total of six facilities throughout Macomb County. Mirroring the city’s own commitment to green infrastructure and sustainability efforts, KUKA Systems received the Green Macomb Sustainability Award for its continuous investments in environmental responsibility and sustainability efforts.

The Chaldean Community Foundation took home the only award to be partially determined by a public vote as it was named Macomb County’s Nonprofit of the Year. Among their many reasons provided, the MCPED cites the foundation having been recognized by the ARCH National Respite Network as an “Innovative and Exemplary Respite Service” in 2024 as evidence of the nonprofit’s exemplary work.

File photo: Joe Powers Insitu PhotographyThe Chaldean Community Foundation was named the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year at the Macomb Business Awards.

Taking to the national stage

When Shelley and Greg McArthur were selected as Michigan’s Small Business Persons of the Year this past April, it was announced that the husband and wife would then go on to represent the state in Washington D.C. for National Small Business Week. It was there where they would go up against entrepreneurs from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. The U.S. Small Business Administration would then name their 2025 National Small Business Persons of the Year, the SBA’s highest honor awarded at their signature event.

That weeklong event took place at the beginning of May and it was Sterling Heights’ very own Shelley and Greg McArthur, co-founders and owners of NTL Industries, that would be named 2025 National Small Business Persons of the Year. The McArthurs have received heaps of praise since founding their machine shop in 2017, and this national award on the biggest of stages no doubt puts an exclamation point on their growing list of bona fides.

“Greg and Shelley McArthur exemplify the spirit of American entrepreneurship,” says Laketa Henderson, SBA District Director in Michigan. “From humble beginnings to a thriving manufacturing business making vital contributions to national defense, they embody the innovation, grit, and community-minded leadership we celebrate during National Small Business Week.”

It’s a remarkable rise for a company that started in the McArthurs’ Sterling Heights garage, having expanded to support 13 full-time employees at their 13,200 sq. ft. CNC precision machining facility on Arrow Drive. NTL Industries provides CNC milling, CNC turning, plasma cutting, fabrication, and assembly to a list of sectors that include aerospace, defense, motorsports manufacturing, and more.

“We are incredibly honored to be recognized as the SBA’s National Small Business Persons of the Year,” say the McArthurs. “This journey has been one of hard work, late nights, and unwavering belief in what we’re building—not just for ourselves, but for our team, our community, and our country. We hope our story inspires others to pursue their dreams, no matter where they start.”

Make room in the trophy room

File photoIMAGIO Glass Design co-founders Paula Badalamente and Mike Trego.Remarkably, these big wins in May only scratch the surface when it comes to award-winning small business news to come out of Sterling Heights in 2025. At their annual gala in April, the small business champions at Michigan Celebrates Small Business selected The Top Pic Collective / Morena’s Event Venue as one of its 50 Companies to Watch in Michigan for 2025. In March, the TC Business Excellence Awards presented by the Troy Chamber of Commerce selected IMAGIO Glass Design as winners of the Chief Financial Credit Union Innovation Award. And earlier in January, the team at IMAGIO was presented with their Sterling Edge Dream Big Business Award first announced in September 2024.

To top it off, the second Velocity 3x3 Spring Pitch Competition took place at the Velocity small business and technology hub headquarters in Sterling Heights on Wednesday, May 21. The event brought together a group of Macomb County’s next class of entrepreneurs as they pitched their businesses in a Shark Tank-style pitch competition. It was Shaniece Bennet and her Accutrak Consulting and Accounting Services that would win the event, with Taylor Reed and Good Vibes Good Times taking second place and the Audience Choice Award. Erika Rivera Jaramillo & Taylor Miller-Goulait of Monarch Coaching would round out the winner’s circle.

File photo: David LewinskiVelocity is located at 6633 18 Mile Rd. in Sterling Heights.