Thank you to all the readers that nominated and voted for their favorites in our inaugural year for the STL Headliner awards. It has been an honor to play a small part in bringing recognition to the local businesses and professionals that go above and beyond the expectations of their customers.

There are so many local businesses and professionals that work day-in and day-out to deliver the best products and services in the region. They value hard work, creativity and perseverance, no matter the circumstances. We asked you, the community, to help us recognize your favorites — the stars of the show, the best of the best, the STL Headliners.

After submitting thousands of nominations, the community voted for their favorites among the finalists in each category. Those finalists received tens of thousands of votes, and the favorites in each category are named within this special edition. Those with the most votes in each category were named the winners, and some businesses were recognized across multiple categories for all the things they do.

We can’t stress enough what an achievement it is to be listed in this section. It means the region recognizes all of the hard work, talent and services these businesses provide every day, whether it’s banking, buying a car or even picking their next meal. Full list of winners here.