The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce recognized its 2010 Small Business of the Year, HL Precision Machining, Inc., and its Most Valuable Citizens, George and Marge Sodemann, award recipients Friday. The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce made this announcement at the Chamber Annual Meeting at the the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign.

HL Precision Machining, Inc., manufactures parts and asemblies and serves industries including aerospace, agribusiness, food and beverage, military, plastics and scientific instruments. Other services they provide include welding, assembly and precision sheet metal fabrication. Since 2009, HL Precision Machining grew 13 percent and 11 new employees were hired since 2008.

“HL has developed itself as more than just a ‘machine shop’ by investing in a broad-based offering of precision machining, fabrication, welding, and assembly, as well as the latest state-of-the-art equipment and continuously training its personnel on current best methods,” said Denny McMillan of Busey Bank, HL Precision Machining’s nominator for the award, the press release said.

HL Precision Machinery gives back to the community througgh its involvement in organizations such as Restoration Urban Ministries, Cops for Kids and Camp New Hope. President and CEO Steve Hillard, is a past board member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.

“This small company actually has great impact on numerous industries and is responsible for manufacturing precision parts for more than 100 other companies throughout the US. Their revenue and employee growth during hard economic times, in particular when manufacturing has struggled, is a testament to why they have earned the Small Business of the Year recognition,” said Laura Weis, president & CEO of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, in the press release.

The two recipients of the Most Valuable Citizens award, George and Marge, “have been actively involved in local and statewide organizations and their efforts have had a profound impact on our community, county, and state,” said nominator Carol Scharlau in a press release.

George Sodemann founded Sodemann & Associates, which is an engineering firm in Champaign. The firm has done engineering work in the county including the downtown Champaign streetscapes, the Schnucks plazas in Champaign and Urbana, and water treatment projects for several cities. George was the president of the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers and the Consulting Engineering Council of Illinois. He was also elected a fellow by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

George was a campaign chair and president of United Way of Champaign County and served as the United Way of Illinois board and on the Covenant Foundation Board at Provena Covenant Medical Center.

Marge Sodemann worked as a Champaign Township supervisor, a Champaign County board member and a Republican Party chairperson. She served served on the University’s board of trustees from 2001 to 2006.

“Marge and George are a gracious and generous couple,” said Jim Stukel, former president of the University of Illinois, in a press release. “The community is very fortunate to have two such caring individuals working on its behalf.”