Ballreich’s Potato Chips gets family-owned business award

Ballreich's Potato Chips received this year's Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year award Friday from the U.S. Small Business Administration's Cleveland district office.

The 90-year-old Tiffin company hosted Gilbert Goldberg, district director, for a plant tour - complete with freshly made, warm chips off the production line.

Goldberg then presented the award to three generations of the family in front of a group of employees. In addition to owners Brian and Linda Reis, Brian's mother, Phyllis (Ballreich) Reis attended, as well as the fourth generation, the Reis' daughter, marketing director Haley Thomas, and her husband, quality control manager Phil Thomas.

"What's so unique about this company is it's fourth generation,"Goldberg said. "It's really an honor for the Small Business Administration to be here to recognize Ballreich's because what's driving the United States economy is small businesses just like this.