Jonathan Paul DeWys, President, DeWys Manufacturing
Semifinalist, Manufacturing The unexpected death of DeWys Manufacturing Inc. founder Mark DeWys in January 1999 was a critical time for the metal fabricating company. On top of Mark’s untimely death, the economy crash of that same year put added pressure on the business. Mark designated his brother and business partner Jonathan DeWys to continue to […]
Mark Rutter, chairman and CEO, GROUP360 Worldwide
FINALIST GROUP360 Worldwide began life more than 50 years ago, providing color separations to the printing industry. Over the years, the company expanded through the acquisition of other businesses, such as publishing, packaging and large format printing. Each business ran as a completely separate unit with no combined efficiencies and no cross-selling of capabilities. Most […]
H. Rochelle Stachel, President and Founder, HRV Conformance Verification Associates Inc.
WINNER / CONSTRUCTION H. Rochelle Stachel did not pick the most opportune time to launch a business. She had two kids in college and a lucrative job, and it seemed as if there was no logical reason for her to shake up the status quo. But Stachel saw an opportunity — the lack of customer […]
Taseer Badar, President and CEO, ZT Wealth Inc./Altus Healthcare Management Services
FINALIST / HEALTH CARE & HEALTH CARE SERVICES Taseer Badar already had experience operating his own business after he graduated from Texas A&M University and began working for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. During that time, he learned several critical tricks of the financial services trade and made many important friendships. While he developed these networks, […]
Chris Beckett, Founder and CEO, Pacific Drilling
FINALIST / OIL FIELD SERVICES In 2008, Chris Beckett left a career with an established offshore drilling contractor to build an ultra-deepwater drilling company — from scratch. Despite the huge challenges and personal risk of this decision, Beckett believed in the possibilities of a company created without the legacy problems common to companies developed over […]
Craig Perry, president and CEO, Centerline Homes
FINALIST – Real Estate and Construction Craig Perry president and CEO Centerline Homes Craig Perry started Centerline Homes 19 years ago with the idea to develop and build innovative homes in prime locations that meet and exceed the needs of today’s buyers. Believing in his own vision before attempting to convince others, making educated decisions […]
Dhiraj Rajaram, founder, chairman and CEO, Mu Sigma Inc.
Private Equity/Venture Capital — Finalist Dhiraj Rajaram had been working as a strategy consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton when he became intrigued by the lack of people holding analytical positions at this well-known firm. The shortfall in human capital resulted in some 80 percent of the enterprise data not being analyzed. As he looked around […]
Richard J. Buoncore, managing partner, MAI Wealth Advisors LLC
FINALIST: Financial and Business Advisory Services Richard J. Buoncore and his partners really wanted MAI Wealth Advisors LLC and they had to fight to purchase the wealth management firm. But once they had it, they had a company facing a number of significant concerns. It had operated for several decades as a captive affiliate of […]
Sabah Ammouri, President and CEO, ATM of America Inc.
Semifinalist, Business Services Sabah Ammouri immigrated to America with his family at the age of 5. Originally from Iraq, Ammouri spent his childhood overcoming language, cultural barriers and financial instability. The challenges of his early life helped instill in him a strong work ethic. He used his determination and willingness to work hard as the […]
Joseph M. McClure, Co-founder, McClure’s Pickles
Semifinalist, Consumer Products In 2006, after years of making pickles in their tiny Michigan kitchen and using their great-grandmother Lala’s recipe, Joseph McClure and his brother, Bob, started McClure’s Pickles. Six years later, the company has expanded and now produces relish, bloody mary mix and other products. The McClures credit their steady growth to putting […]