by Sophia Root,

Commerce Chenango

NORWICH - Commerce Chenango is pleased to announce that chamber member Savurn Memorials was selected by the Small Business Administration as a Small Veteran Owned Business of the Year.

Savurn Memorials provides monuments, plaques, cleanings, leveling, and other services to families and local organizations.

Savurn Memorials, a veteran owned, and family run local business, was started by the Williams family after the tragic loss of their daughter, Savannah. Mark, Shari, Alexander and Zachary Williams were inspired to help other grieving families with these processes. The Williams believe that by providing empathetic customer service, they can help families step by step while memorializing their loved ones.

Mark, Shari, Alex and Zac were partners in business since Savurn Memorials opened on May 23, Savannah’s Birthday, in 2018. However, now all four members of the Williams family work full time at their facility and at gravesites.

When asked about this honor, Mark said, “It is tough in words.” Shari continued, “It is humbling and rewarding to be recognized because we didn’t start this business to get as big as we could. We started it to help other families with the same loss, and in a way, it helped us with our loss, too.”

The Williams family was honored on May 5th at a ceremony in Syracuse. Commerce Chenango President & CEO Sal Testani was in attendance, stating, “We could not be prouder to have small businesses like Savurn Memorials in Chenango County. More importantly, we are incredibly fortunate to have families like the Williams family, where their impact on our community goes far beyond their business.”

The Williams family never expected to be recognized in this way and are grateful to their community for their support. They thanked Michell Catan from the NYS Small Business Development Center for nominating them, and Brendan Hannan from NBT Bank for giving them their first loan. NBT Bank was also honored as the North Central SBDC Lender Partner of the Year.

Mark Williams served 4 years in the Air Force as a Heavy Equipment Operator. He was stationed in Spain with a Civil Engineering Squadron. After his time in the force, he worked for the City of Norwich Public Works. Alexander Williams served in the Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and was deployed to Afghanistan for 8 months. He was an Artillery Mechanic, and a member of Security Detail for convoys.

The Williams frequently provide their services for other Veteran organizations, such as the VFW in Norwich, the American Legions in Norwich and Sherburne, Chenango County Veteran’s Administration, the Windsor Lions Club, and many more.