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 business and professional service division, the consumer service division, and the Bob Billings Rising Star Award. The information is taken from the applications each company completed to be considered for the awards.

Consumer Service

Cottonwood Inc.

Address: 2801 W. 31st St., Lawrence.

Area representative: Sharon Spratt, executive director.

Area employees: 236.

Year founded: 1972.

Years at current location: 31.

Main products/services: Nonprofit organization that provides services to people with developmental disabilities.

Lawrence Surgery Center

Address: 1112 W. Sixth St., Lawrence.

Area representative: Joan Shearer, administrator.

Area employees: 27.

Year founded: 2000.

Years at current location: Three.

Main products/services: Provides a variety of health-care and surgery services.

The World Company

Address: 609 N.H., Lawrence.

Area representative: Dolph C. Simons Jr., president.

Area employees: 577.

Year founded: 1891.

Years at current location: 48. The company had a previous location at 722 Mass.

Main products/services: The company publishes the Lawrence Journal-World and several newspapers in surrounding communities, offers contract publishing services, cable television, high-speed Internet service, telephone service, locally originated television news and productions, and Web site design and production, including ljworld.com, lawrence.com and kusports .com.

Business and Professional Service

Intrust Bank

Address: 901 Vt., Lawrence.

Area representative: Mike Maddox, community bank president.

Area employees: 24.

Year founded: 1876.

Years at current location: Four.

Main products/services: Commercial and retail banking services.

Central National Bank

Address: 711 Wakarusa Drive, Lawrence.

Area representative: Brad Chindamo, Lawrence president.

Area employees: 35.

Year founded: 1884. First opened in Lawrence in 1995.

Years at current location: Eight.

Main products/services: Banking and financial services.

Pearson Government Solutions

Address: 3833 Greenway Drive, Lawrence.

Area representative: Terry Kroshus, call center director.

Area employees: 1,124.

Year founded: 1994.

Years at current location: Five. Previously had been located in a portion of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America building near 15th Street and Wakarusa Drive.

Main products/services: Provide call center, data capture, form management and processing, systems integration, help desk and survey services to a variety of government customers.

Environmental Management Resources Inc.

Address: 1310 Wakarusa Drive, Lawrence.

Area representative: Connie Cook, chief executive officer.

Area employees: 102.

Year founded: 1988.

Years at current location: Five. First located in Lawrence 14 years ago and was located in the University National Bank building at 1400 Kasold Drive.

Main products/services: Environmental engineering, industrial hygiene and construction services.

Bob Billings Rising Star

Culver’s of Lawrence

Address: 2111 W. 33rd St., Lawrence.

Area representative: John Olson, president.

Area employees: 40.

Year founded: Opened in Lawrence in 2002.

Years at current location: One.

Main products/services: Fast food in a casual dining environment.

The Cup

Address: 4000 W. Sixth St., Suite E, Lawrence.

Area representative: Bonnie Plumberg, chief operating officer.

Area employees: 16.

Year founded: 2000.

Years at current location: Four months.

Main products/services: Espresso and frozen custard.

The Chiropractic Experience

Address: 2449 Iowa, Suite B, Lawrence.

Area representative: Mark Howarter.

Area employees: 2.

Year founded: 2000.

Years at current location: Three.

Main products/services: Family chiropractic practice, general wellness and children/pediatric care.