Awarding Excellence! 53 Years In Business!!!

By Kristin & Joe Garramone, Jr.

Roma Restaurant is a perfect interpretation of a classic, upscale Italian Eatery. Opening their doors for the first time in 1973, Giuseppe Garramone brought a wealth of knowledge in regards to food and business to Dover Delaware. Born in a small town in Southern Italy, Guiseppe moved to New York at the age of 18 to develop his skills as a chef. 16 years later he took that knowledge and passion to Dover Delaware and opened Roma Italian Ristorante. Initially opening as a casual pizzeria, Roma evolved quickly into the premier special occasion, white linen eatery it has continued to be given various awards and accolades through the years.

The Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce is comprised of over 850 businesses who all strive to achieve their very best and who excel in a variety of ways. Each year, the Chamber recognizes those who, according to their peers, have truly achieved excellence. American writer, Robert Ingersoll, once said, “We rise by lifting others.”  It is once again time for Chamber members to nominate those businesses that have risen to the top in the past year – so let’s rise to the occasion! 

“Excellence” has been defined in various ways: greatness . . . the quality of being outstanding or extremely good, of being truly the best at something . . . distinction . . . superiority . . . Among Chamber members, excellence is measured by positive interactions with the public, a demonstration of growth, a prevailing response to adversity, and a passion for service to the community. Excellence achieved by an active pool of high achievers is truly excellent. 

It is imperative that the members of the Central Delaware business community support each other’s successes. It has been said many times by many people that “when one wins, we all win!” There is so much good happening in Kent County that it is hard to choose a “best.” But by recognizing a “best,” we all are motivated to improve, to excel, to grow – and ultimately to contribute to the greater good of Central Delaware.

In 2018, Joe and Kristin Garronmone, of Roma Italian Ristorante and Sul Tempo, were given the biggest surprise of their careers as restauranteurs: they were nominated for the CDCC’s Small Business of the Year Award . . . and ultimately won. “The whole experience from top-to-bottom was absolutely amazing,” remarked Kristin. “We will never forget how that nomination and award, decided by our peers, made us feel. We met incredible business people, we were introduced to Delaware’s Governor, and we made great connections that will last forever!”  

When asked about the value of the award and what it meant to them, Kristin said, “It mattered so much to us because this is a small community. It was a morale booster for my family and my staff, it motivated a boost in our customer base, and it resulted in a steady increase in revenue for our business.  It was a wonderful way to celebrate everyone’s hard work, and the way they all go above and beyond. It was a testimony to the ownership our team shows in the restaurant.” 

As you, our members, consider nominating businesses for the Excellence in Business Awards, know that it matters. Every nomination is valuable, and every nomination has the potential to encourage the nominees in deep and meaningful ways. When Kristin was asked about the part of the process that meant the most, she replied, with tears in her eyes, “Knowing that my mother was there with us and seeing the look of unmasked pride and joy on my father-in-law’s face when it was announced, after 53 years in business, that we had been recognized for our efforts, that we had won. This was the most significant thing that has happened to us in our entire career.”  

Each year, nominations are gathered for three prestigious awards: Large Employer of the Year (for companies of more than 50), Small Business of the Year (for companies of up to 50), and Young Professional of the Year (for individuals between 21 and 35 years of age). The nominations are reviewed by a committee made up of previous award winners who select three nominees in each category. This is followed by a vote of the Chamber members that determines the winner.  Finally, the awards are presented in June at the Awards for Excellence Dinner that concludes the Chamber’s year of events. 

Nomination forms will soon be mailed to Chamber members and will be available online. For more information about making nominations, please call the CDCC Office at 302-734-7513. Let’s keep our eyes open for the outstanding, the magnificent, and the awesome. Let’s encourage the work of our fellow member business and notice their exceptional work – it’s time to award excellence! 

Roma Italian Restaurant      Sul Tempo Cocktail Lounge      

302-678-1041      www.RomaDover.com     3 President Drive, Dover, Delaware

Follow them @sul_roma_dover on instagram & @romadover on facebook