St. Cloud Area Chamber Announces 2025 Award Winners

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce has announced its 2025 Business Award winners.

Mike and DeNae Hiltner of Great Harvest Bread Company have been named Small Business Owners of the Year.

In 1998, they took a trip to Montana, where they were introduced to Great Harvest Bread Company. They soon learned of available franchise rights in Central Minnesota through an owner in Portland, Washington.

Great Harvest started with just six breads and one cookie on the menu but has expanded to eight regular breads, nine regular sweets, and a large variety of other goods.

Catering launched in 2015 and has become a major part of the business, often filling four or more large orders for sandwiches and salads per week.

Doug Jr. and Deb Dingmann of Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes have been named Family Owned Business of the Year.

The Dingmann family's legacy dates back to 1909, when John Dingmann operated a hardware store in Clear Lake that also offered funeral services in a chapel above the shop.

Meanwhile, the Tschumperlin family established one of St. Cloud’s earliest funeral homes in 1873, a business that later came under the ownership of Barney Williams after World War II. These two family-run operations eventually merged in 2008, forming Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes.

The fifth generation is already stepping into the business, ensuring that the tradition of service will carry on for years to come.

Jim Beck and John Malikowski of Modern Barnyard have earned the Entrepreneurial Success Award.

In 2017, Modern Barnyard opened its doors. Today, the store has 12 vendor booths, accounting for about 10 percent of its retail space.

In 2023, they completed a major expansion, adding 5,000 square feet of retail, workshop, and storage space, bringing the store’s total footprint to 12,000 square feet.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, they adapted by offering private shopping experiences, expanding their online store, and developing gift box packages.

In late 2023, their busiest season was disrupted when a bridge closure in front of their store led to a 60 percent drop in sales.

Modern Barnyard has built a thriving business that has become a regional destination for home decor and furniture.

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