Berry is Marion's Small Business Person of the Year

Melia Berry, owner of She! magazine, based in Marion, accepts her award as the 2009 Small Business Person of the Year from the Marion Chamber of Commerce and makes remarks during the 10th annuall Small Business Appreciation breakfast in the Marion Opera House this past week.

By: | SCNow
Published: May 22, 2009

Marion Chamber of Commerce's 10th annual Small Business Appreciation Breakfast honored Melia Berry. Berry, who has served as one of the creative forces before the highly successful women's inspiration magazine "She!", said the award also goes to the general manager of the magazine Tuesday Taylor.

Taylor has been with her from the magazine's inception, she said, with the two sharing many later nights and gruesome work days. A Mullins High School graduate, Berry is an interior designer who took time out to be a stay-at-home mom. She launched, in 2002, the magazine of her dreams.

From three employees, the business has grown to eight, Carol Grice, of Industrial Solutions & Supply, Inc., the 2008 award recipient, said. He made the presentation of the award to Berry, saying in 2006 the magazine added its glossy cover, putting it in a class all its own. The long hours, late nights have paid off for the entrepreneur, whose magazine's circulation in the region has grown to 22,000.

"So this is why I had to get up so early this morning," Berry joked as she received her plaque.

Berry joins previous winners: 2000, H.M Grice and Perry Grice, Grice's Men's Wear; 2001, W. Ashley Brady, First Charter Company, Inc.; 2002, Laura White and Elaine White, Laura's; 2003, Jack Hulon, Hulon Jewelers; and 2004, H. Craig Martin, Craig Martin, CPA. Also, 2005, Margie and Aaron Martin, Martin's Catering; 2006, Ken Baker, Ken Baker's Used Cars, Inc.; 2007, Richard Skipper, Tru Green Nursery & Florist; and in 2008, Carroll Grice.

Chamber President Alan Ammons said the breakfast is an occasion to celebrate living, working and playing in a community where relationships are so important and where small businesses are the backbone of the community.

Grice said the award goes to a successful business person who, among other, things, delivers top customer service.

In his remarks at the end of the breakfast, Ammons said when he first learned of Berry's desire to have a magazine he said "How's that going to work in a place like Marion." But it has, he said, telling Berry he is appreciative of all the business does for the community.

Berry is mother to three children, Joshua, Jacob and Haley, and has stepson, Zach.