Hero Award Winner - March 2002

The Seattle Baking Company

Mike Bell of SCORE presents the award to DebraPezzillo

  • Debra Pezzillo and her partner, Tina Brettholle, parlayed a bake-em-at home business into a company that has grown over 73% in the past three years
  • Seattle Baking Company was formed through the merger of two successful businesses, Divine Desserts and Greenlake Baking Company. Debra Pezzillo’s Divine Desserts began in 1988 with the creation of fabulous cheesecakes. As the popularity of Divine Desserts grew. Debra expanded her customer base to Seattle's finest hotels and restaurants (she started with (the Metropolitan Grill). Debra recalls the early days when having received a test order from the metropolitan Grill, she had to go around to her neighbors and ask to borrow their ovens.. Later she rented facilities in a bakery at night which led to her partnership with Tina.
  • Tina Brettholle’s Greenlake Baking Company was making Italian Biscotti, for espresso carts in 1989.
  • Tina was also in the business of privately labeling cookies for Starbuck’s, and due to the demand for her product she too was selling to grocery stores.
  • In 1992, by chance, Tina and Debra leased separate bakery space, but from the same landlord. Shortly after their meeting, discussions of common business goals and values resulted in today's highly successful Seattle Baking Company. Currently. Seattle Baking Company's client base includes many hotels and restaurants, QFC, Costco. Marriott, Hickory Farms and independent grocery chains
  • Seattle Baking Company has been able to expand its customer base and grow the demand for its products because it is committed to using the highest quality ingredients and is dedicated to creativity and customer service. Just as Seattle's taste has become more sophisticated over the past twelve years, Seattle Baking Company's success has been directly related to that distinctive demand.
  • Early in its history, the company availed itself of SCORE counseling with former counselor Jim Wright. Debra describes him as "giving good advice and always available." In 1996, the City of Seattle nominated the company for the Mayor's Small Business Award. In winning this month's SCORE Hero Award, the company met the criteria for growth, profitability, sales revenue, innovation and problem solving.