Boston magazine announced last night the winners of its first annual Boston’s Best Businesses, an award program designed to highlight the innovative small businesses, leaders and organizations making an overwhelmingly positive impact on the Boston community.  Winners were announced at an awards ceremony held September 24 at Smith & Wollensky Atlantic Wharf.

Honorees will be featured in a special section of Boston magazine’s October issue, and were chosen by a committee of peers.  This year’s winners include:

• Brittany Bang, Owner of Audrey’s Pet Supply & Services
• Colin Angle, Chairman of the Board, CEO and Co-Founder of iRobot
• Donald Gregorio, Executive Assistant of Jack Morton Worldwide
• Dr. Elsie Levin, Founder of Boston Breast Diagnostic Center
• Holly Safford, Founder of The Catered Affair
• Joan Wallace-Benjamin, PhD, President and CEO of The Home For Little Wanderers
• Linda Driscoll, Founder of Dream Big!
• Roger Berkowitz, President/CEO of Legal Sea Foods
• Susan and Stephen Howell, Co-Founders of Howell Custom Building Group
• Vince Pan, Founder of Analogue Studio

In addition to being recognized for their contributions to the Boston community, each honoree received an award for their hard work. Grand Prize Winner, Dr. Elsie Levin, founder of the Boston Breast Diagnostic Center, was awarded a year of travel for two on JetBlue, and First Prize winners, Susan and Stephen Howell, co-founders of Howell Custom Building Group, were awarded a 1979 vintage Mercedes Roadster courtesy of European Auto Solutions.

“Whether it’s a new technology, a company’s charitable-giving initiatives or an individual who has changed the way and industry does business in Boston, we are proud to celebrate the leaders at the forefront of it all,” said Rick Waechter, Boston magazine CEO.  “This is our way of championing Boston's Best Businesses and honoring those making an overwhelming impact in our community.”

Boston magazine invited the community to take an active part in the nomination process by submitting individuals or businesses across four categories: fashion and design; food and hospitality; technology and innovation; and a general category that allowed the community to choose other individuals in the business world and in daily life making significant impact. 

For more information on Boston’s Best Businesses, visit www.bostonmagazine.com/bestbusinesses.