Otis Technology owner is Lewis Businessperson of the Year
LOWVILLE — The founder and owner of southern Lewis County's largest private employer has been named the county's 2010 businessperson of the year.
Doreen A. Garrett, president and CEO of Lyons Falls gun-cleaning-kit manufacturer Otis Technology Inc., will be presented the 29th annual award at a banquet Nov. 18 at the 3-G fire hall in Glenfield.
"She is just a wonderful individual, and we're glad to be able to present her with this award," said Anne L. Merrill, executive director of the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce, which presents the award.
While Mrs. Garrett over the years has received numerous awards for her business acumen, she had never received the Lewis County Businessperson of the Year award, primarily because she was on the chamber's board of directors from 1995 through 2007 and ineligible, Mrs. Merrill said.
Mrs. Garrett, through her leadership abilities and financial support, has been "instrumental in keeping the chamber viable," Mrs. Merrill said.
Mrs. Garrett started Otis in 1985, at age 16, in her parents' home in the town of Leyden. Production was moved to a horse barn in 1990 and to a 25,000-square-foot building, now used for office space, at its current location off Laura Street in Lyons Falls in 1997.
The company in 2006 built a 6,000-square-foot day care center, called Caboodles, at its facility. It completed a 23,643-square-foot addition to its 41,500-square-foot manufacturing facility in late 2008 and late last year opened a research and development facility in Phoenix, Oswego County. Otis employs more than 160 people.
Mrs. Garrett lives in Turin with her husband, Jody, her two daughters, Ariana and Ondraya, and her granddaughter, Onnika.
The Garretts earlier this year opened a Tilted Kilt franchise restaurant at 1050 Arsenal St. in Watertown.
She sits on the Lewis County Industrial Development Agency, Lewis County General Hospital board of managers, Lewis County Empire Zone designation board, HSBC Central Region advisory board and Thompson Park Conservancy in Watertown. She is also a corporate member of the Association of the U.S. Army and the Young Presidents Organization.
Otis's 25th anniversary logo is featured on this year's annual chamber Christmas ornament. Ornaments can be purchased at the chamber office for $10 apiece.
In other chamber news, the McSweeney Foundation — formed in memory of 1987 Lewis County Businessperson of the Year Morris D. "Jerry" McSweeney — recently donated $1,500 to the organization, Mrs. Merrill said. The money will be used to purchase a portable podium and microphone system for use at chamber functions and by member businesses, she said.
Mr. McSweeney and his wife, Mary, owned and operated Hills Department Store in Lowville for more than 40 years. He died in 2003.
