Amarr Garage Doors Inc. and Callahan Creek Inc. each received Business Appreciation Awards from the Kansas Department of Commerce during a ceremony Tuesday in Paola.

The event, part of the department’s celebration of Kansas Business Appreciation Month, honored 52 businesses in the state’s east-central region. Businesses were judged based on factors ranging from business growth to community involvement.

The department is conducting events in all seven of its regions, leading up to the presentation of the Governor’s Award of Excellence during the Kansas Cavalry Encampment on June 27 in Junction City.

The two Lawrence businesses received the achievement awards as finalists for Business Excellence Awards in their respective categories: Amarr for manufacturing/distribution, and Callahan Creek for service.

“We’re in great company,” said Kirsten Krug, director of people at Amarr, which is in the East Hills Business Park.

Winning the excellence award in Amarr’s category was Coffeyville Resources LLC, a refiner and marketer of petroleum and producer of nitrogen fertilizer. Also receiving an achievement award, as an excellence award finalist, was Garmin International, the Olathe-based global leader in portable navigation devices.

Callahan Creek, a Lawrence-based advertising and marketing firm with offices at 805 N.H., was one of three winners of an achievement award for service. The others were Poole Fire Protection, Olathe, and Gardner Animal Hospital. Winning the excellence award was Black & Veatch, a global engineering, consulting and construction company with operations in Overland Park.

Several other Lawrence businesses received Business Merit Awards in their respective categories:

¢ Pinnacle Technology Inc., manufacturing/distribution.

¢ Legends Drive Dental Center, service.

¢ TherapyWorks PA, service.

¢ Crown Automotive, retail.

¢ KU Credit Union, retail.

¢ Local Burger, retail.

¢ Maceli’s, retail.

¢ Simply Wireless, retail.

¢ Wheat State Pizza, retail.

“We are incredibly proud of these local businesses,” said Beth Johnson, vice president of economic development for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, an organization that nominated several of the honorees for awards. “These businesses are some of the best in our area, and it is wonderful to see them earn this well-deserved honor.”