The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a new awards program, the Excellence in Commerce Awards, to honor area businesses. Nineteen companies in six different categories have been nominated for the awards, which will be given at 7:30 a.m. Friday at the Lawrence Holidome.

Here are brief profiles of the nominees for awards in the technology division and the retail division, from information provided on each company’s application for the award.

Technology Division

Microtech Computers

Address: 4921 Legends Drive, Lawrence.

Area representative: Mike Zheng, president.

Area employees: 65.

Year founded: 1986.

Years at current location: Six. The company previously was located at 4824 Quail Crest Drive, Lawrence.

Main products/services: Personal computers, notebooks, servers and computational clusters. Products include a supercomputer cluster that has been ranked among the 17 fastest in the world.

Griffin Technologies

Address: 916 Mass., Lawrence.

Area representative: Bennett Griffin, president.

Area employees: Eight.

Year founded: 1993.

Years at current location: Four.

Main products/services: Computer software and hardware systems for information security for businesses and consumers.

Pinnacle Technology

Address: 619 E. Eighth St., Lawrence.

Area representative: Donna Johnson, president.

Area employees: 12.

Year founded: 1995.

Years at current location: Six.

Main products/services: The company provides services for companies looking to develop new product lines. The company also has launched several of its own products, ranging from various measuring devices to a type of plastic made from wheat straw.

Retail Division

La Parrilla

Address: 814 Mass., Lawrence

Area representative: Subarna Bhattachan, president.

Area employees: 15.

Year founded: 1999.

Years at current location: Four.

Main products/services: The restaurant sells a variety of Mexican and Latin American food.

J.B. Stouts

Address: 721 Wakarusa Drive, Lawrence.

Area representative: Fee Monshizadeh, general manager.

Area employees: 49.

Year founded: 1998.

Years at current location: Five.

Main products/services: The restaurant is a sports bar and grill.

Hy-Vee Food and Drug Stores

Address: 3504 Clinton Parkway and 4000 W. Sixth St., Lawrence.

Area representatives: John Olson and Shawn Brown, store directors.

Area employees: 600.

Year founded: 1930.

Years at present locations: Nine years at 3504 Clinton Parkway and three years at 4000 W. Sixth St.

Main products/services: Grocery stores/supermarkets.