ARLINGTON, VA - On May 19, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce celebrated the 40th Annual Arlington Best Business Awards at Army Navy Country Club, sponsored by Arlington Community Federal Credit Union. This evening recognized businesses in the Arlington community that go above and beyond to serve clients and make Arlington a great place to work and live.

The Best Business Awards are evaluated by past award winners on five criteria: service excellence; significant growth or stability; a unique approach to delivering goods or services; community engagement; and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The Award winners are selected by past Award winners, based on an aggregate of scores across the five criteria.

The 2026 Best Business Award Winners are:

Latinas Leading Tomorrow - 2026 Nonprofit of the Year

MGI Corporate Gifts LLC - 2026 Retail Business of the Year

Alair Homes Arlington - 2026 Service Business of the Year

Bean, Kinney & Korman P.C. - 2026 Large Business of the Year

2026 Arlington Best Business Award Winners

2026 Arlington Business Hall of Fame Inductee Michael T. Foster, and 2023 Inductee Bob Hawthorne

Following the presentation of the awards, the Chamber inducted Michael T. Foster into the Arlington Business Hall of Fame. Created in 2009, the Arlington Business Hall of Fame honors individuals with a connection to Arlington County who have demonstrated a long record of successful management, expertise, and business skills, along with notable achievements and exceptional civic and community involvement.

Foster was introduced by 2023 Hall of Fame inductee, Bob Hawthorne. Hawthorne shared that he referred Foster to join the Arlington Chamber 30 years ago. That referral led to Foster's impactful involvement in the Arlington Chamber, including serving as Chair in 2011. Hawthorne continued by describing Foster, also a personal friend of three decades, as a leader who has "made a lasting impact on our Chamber and our community" through his business achievements and considerable civic service.

In a video address, Foster reflected on the philosophy that has shaped his career, noting that "the lens has always been people, not just the clients who are very important, but it's those that they serve- the communities they're in." This ethos guided him in his impactful work at his firm, MTFA Architecture, Inc., which has designed the Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key, Army Navy County Club, numerous churches and thousands of homes. For more information about Michael T. Foster, please see his full biography.

A list of past Best Business Award winners and previous inductees into the Arlington Business Hall of Fame can be found here.

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ABOUT THE CHAMBER

Founded in 1924, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit membership organization of more than 650 businesses that cultivates connections, shapes policies, and empowers Arlington’s economic future. The Chamber supports our members through networking, advocacy, professional development, and community engagement. For more information or to become a member, visit www.arlingtonchamber.org.