Urbandale, IA –
Local chamber member, Golden Openings, Inc., recently received the “Best
Kept Secret Award” at the Greater Des Moines Partnership luncheon. The
GDMP recently honored five companies with 2009 Economic Impact Awards
and nine local companies for their business practices with the 2009
Celebrate Business Awards.
Golden Openings is truly a Best Kept Secret because the company’s goal
is all about making others look good. When a new hotel, restaurant, bank
or business opens and a ceremonial ribbon is cut, there is a great
chance that Golden Openings helped make the opening successful, in some
way, shape or form. Owner and founder, Kimberly Baeth, got the idea for
her company while working at the North Hennepin Chamber of Commerce in
Minnesota and realizing how many companies needed help organizing their
grand openings and events. For her 26th birthday, she asked
for and received – from her father, two pairs of life-size scissors that
actually cut, thanks to ingeniously placed razor blades, and in February
1997, set out to start her company.
Today, Urbandale-based Golden Openings is a one-stop shop for supplies
and services utilized in grand openings, ribbon cuttings, ground
breakings, key to the city events, and more. While working locally to
average four events per week, the company also serves thousands of
entities around the world, largely through its website. In 2008 alone,
more than 10,000 businesses purchased items for their events or called
upon Golden Openings for advice. They also have three franchise offices
that serve the broader US for event coverage and on-site details.
In
addition to many Fortune 500 companies, the White House, Oprah, Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger and many others have ordered supplies from Golden
Openings. Scissors from Golden Openings have also opened the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day parade. Locally, the company has helped organize
special events such as the recent Homemakers Grand Opening with Warren
Buffett and the Waukee Family YMCA Grand Opening.
Today, the company employs two full-time people and many part-time
people that all work behind the scenes to help other organizations
shine.
The Celebrate Business! Awards winners were Metro Waste Authorite,
Bankers Trust Co., Ryan Companies U.S. Inc., Nationwide Mutual Insurance
Co., Performance Marketing Inc., CDS Global Inc., Bridgestone Firestone
and CK International. The Economic Impact Awards went to Aviva USA, Iowa
Health-Des Moines, Linweld Inc., Mercy Medical Center and Wellmark Blue
Cross and Blue Shield.
