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Community | FeaturedSeptember 04, 2025

Sit Down with Elmer's Chem-Dry: CED Excellence in Family and Small Business Award Winner

Written By: Ian Silvester

The 香蕉视频APP sat down with Elmer and Maria Reyes, owners of Elmer's Chem-Dry, and winners of the Center for Economic Development's Excellence in Family and Small Business Awards Hispanic-Owned Business.

Elmer's Chem-Dry has service the River Valley and Northwest 香蕉视频APP for 15 years. Their nomination at the inaugural awards came as a surprise and they hope to be an inspiration to other Hispanic-owned businesses, as well as other family-owned and small businesses in the area.

Nominations for this year's CED Excellence in Family and Small Business Awards are open until September 17. Individuals, family-owned businesses, small businesses, and advisors may be nominated online at https://uafs.edu/ced/excellence-awards/index.php.

Nominees do not need to be affiliated with the Jim Walcott Family Enterprise Center or the 香蕉视频APP Small Business and Technology Development Center. The 2025 awards will be from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, at the Bakery District.

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UAFS: What do you want people to know about you and your business?

Elmer's Chem-Dry: We are drier, cleaner, and healthier -- these are the three biggest benefits of choosing Elmer's Chem-Dry over other carpet cleaners in Fort Smith! We use less water than stem cleaners, making our cleaning process drier. This means that your carpets dry faster. Our cleaning solution at Elmer's Chem-Dry doesn't leave behind soap or suds, so your carpets stay cleaner for much longer! The Natural庐, our core cleaning solution, is made of ingredients inspired by Mother Nature, meaning it has no harsh chemicals. This leaves your carpet and home healthier than ever before.

UAFS: Last year, your business, Elmer's Chem-Dry, won the award for Hispanic-owned small business. What did it mean to you to be recognized and honored as the winner?

Elmer's: We were not expecting the nomination or winning, so to be recognized and win was very humbling and exciting at the same time. We admire the title and are so pleased that it was among the rest and we hope to faithfully and honorably represent it in a way that would make our community proud. 

UAFS: As a former award recipient, what would you say to someone who is thinking of making a nomination for a small or family-owned business to be recognized? 

Elmer's: Think of the importance of the nomination and the benefits it could bring to the business.

UAFS: How do you think having a university in Fort Smith makes our community, businesses, and people stronger?

Elmer's:  I love the fact that we have a university in Fort Smith; aside from offering quality education and opportunities, UAFS has very close ties with the community which helps improve local challenges and overall well being for the community. UAFS includes everyone in these improvements, the people and businesses.

• Tags:
• Center for Economic Development
• Excellence in Family and Small Business Awards
• CED
• FEC