Three win small business awards at annual Chamber event in Decatur
Little is the founder, CEO and executive coach for Eagle Consulting, which was established in 1999 and includes Eagle Counseling and Eagle Center for Leadership. He was named the Raymon Baker — John Cook — Ralph Jones Small Business Person of the Year.
"Life is about relationships, and I believe business is about relationships," Little said. "I've devoted my life to studying relationships, to helping people grow stronger relationships personally and professionally. When I think about growing a business, it starts and stops with those relationships."
Little is a seven-time author of relationship-based books that have reached over a million people. He leads a team of counselors, coaches and support staff who have a mission of making a difference in others' lives. Little has worked worldwide through his business. He is married to Melanie and has two children.
The chamber held its annual Small Business Awards Celebration on Wednesday at the DoubleTree by Hilton Decatur Riverfront. The award recipients were chosen for their leadership, creativity and commitment to the local business community.
Kyle Pike is the business development manager at Fite Building Co. and the Decatur City Council District 2 councilman. He was named the Arthur Orr Young Professional of the Year. Pike said he lives by three things: faith, family and community.
"None of this is possible without having a strong faith and relying on the Lord and the blessings he gives us," he said. "Your family is the backbone of your support system. I'm fortunate enough to have a large family that will support me in a lot of things I do. Specifically, my time in office. And the community is where I spend a lot of my time, and I couldn't do that without the support of the first two."
Pike previously served as president of the Decatur Jaycees and has held roles with the Decatur Kiwanis Club, One Decatur, and the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation. He is married to Patricia and has two children and is expecting a third.
Maegan Schwindling has been the facilitator of the nonprofit Decatur Morgan CEO program, which started in 2019, for five years. The program mentors and assists young people in starting their own business. Schwindling was named the Lynn C. Fowler Nonprofit Professional of the Year.
"I think the most important thing we can do as adults is invest in younger students and college students to ensure that they stay in Alabama and start businesses here in Decatur and Morgan County," she said. "We might have the valedictorian from Decatur Heritage (Christian Academy) with a student that hates school from another high school (in the CEO program). It's a weird mix of kids, but they all end up learning to work together. That, I think, is the most valuable thing we can give them, and how to model for them, is just how to work with people who are different from you."
Schwindling started out in social work and later launched the North Alabama office of Lifeline Children's Services. In her work with the CEO Program, she has helped over 50 students start their own business, while connecting them with more than 60 local business mentors. There was a national documentary done on the program that showcased the program's success. Schwindling is married to TC and they have three children.
—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.
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