KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Knoxville’s mayor stepped off the campaign trail Tuesday afternoon to celebrate a quintet of area small businesses.

Bill Haslam teamed up with the Knoxville Chamber to honor the five companies, each of which had recently been recognized with awards by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Among the five was Prestige Cleaners, which won the Community Excellence Award and was selected as a 2010 Blue Ribbon Small Business Award Winner.

According to the mayor, who is seeking the Republican Party’s gubernatorial nomination, Knoxville and entrepreneurship have always seemed to go well together.

"We have a history of small businesses not just making it and surviving, but a lot of our small businesses have grown up to become large national companies,” said Haslam. “Whether a business stays with five employees or grows to five thousand, we want to help make Knoxville a rich soil for them to grow in."

Construction Plus and Knowledge Launch also received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Blue Ribbon Award. ES&H, Inc. and NetGain Corporation were named Free Enterprise Honorees.

The Market Square ceremony was followed by a small reception only steps away the Knox Chamber.