By URIAH KISER
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — Dalena Kanouse never thought she would lead a company of 100 employees who work for a business started in her home by her husband.
But her husband passed away in 2009 leaving the business in her name, and Kanouse faced some challenges.
“I had no idea what I was doing other than supporting him,” said Kanouse, of the Dumfries-based Management and Training Consultants, Inc.
Now doing business in 24 states and three U.S. territories, the company is partnered with the National Guard and Central Texas College to help returning military service veterans get reacquainted to civilian life. Their non-clinical programs called “Boots to Books” and “Boots to Work” help returning service members cope with the everyday stresses of life.
Kanouse and her business partner, Kent Milliken, were nominated Wednesday by the Prince William Chamber of Commerce for Business of the Year award. MTCI didn’t win — that prize was award to Prince William Living Magazine — but they did attribute their successes this year to holding a new networking sessions, being involved in the chamber of commerce, and by working closely with other small businesses.
“There’s a number of businesses that are significantly smaller than us but look at us as being big. So, everything being relative, we’ll do anything we can to help the small business,” said Milliken.
That same spirit of helpfulness is also shared by Jen Jones who founded Alpha Pets Inc. in Lake Ridge. Jones won the chamber’s 2012 Business Award for Community Outreach. She volunteers with community groups like ACTS, and The ARC of Greater Prince William.
“With community outreach, our slogan at Alpha Pets is “professionals with a personal touch,” and that’s how we view our pet care business but that’s also how we view our community,” said Jones.
For her, it’s not enough to just make a simple donation to charitable organizations – she likes to get her hands dirty and volunteer.
“That’s how to build relationships, and that’s what we do when we volunteer. And, you know what, if do what you do well the [poor] economy doesn’t even bother you,” said Jones.
Alpha Pets was founded in 2009 and won Business of the Year in 2010. This was the company’s first award highlighting their community service efforts.
