Dr. David Kent, Owner, Lifestyle Lift
Winner, Services Lifestyle Lift, a facial cosmetic surgery practice based in Troy, Mich., was founded in 2001 by Dr. David Kent. The idea for Lifestyle Lift originated one day when Kent was treating a patient for some other issues. The patient asked if he could do something to improve her appearance that would be less […]
Charles Sanders, Founder and CEO, Urban Lending Solutions
WINNER / SERVICES Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Charles Sanders launched his mortgage service company, initially called Urban Settlement Services, out of the basement of his home in 2002. Ten years later, thanks to Sanders’ entrepreneurial drive and his ability to recognize and react to changing market conditions, Urban Lending Solutions has ballooned to employ […]
How Lewis Shender built a new future for Hollywood Tans
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Scot Lowry, president and CEO, Fathom
FINALIST: Services and Management Solutions Scot Lowry has always taken on entrepreneurial challenges with the goal of successfully growing a venture — not generating the highest salary. He started his first company without outside capital, leveraging credit card debt, and used all of his savings to purchase his second company. The experience he gained from […]
Allen DeBevoise, founder, chairman and CEO, Machinima Inc.
Finalist – Interactive Media/Internet Machinima Inc. has been described as an “MTV for gamers.” The West Hollywood, Calif.- based company is a next generation video entertainment network for video gamers, providing comprehensive editorial and community programming focused on gaming. Machinima tools, applications and technologies are aimed at enabling gamers to be highly engaged and active […]
David Hagan, president and CEO, Boingo Wireless Inc.
Finalist – Technology When the founder and CEO of Boingo Wireless Inc. left to start another business in 2004, the business was in pretty bad shape – burning through $1 million monthly, running in the red. So when David Hagan, the president of the company, had the opportunity to take a job paying three times […]
TJ Farnsworth, Founder and CEO, SightLine Health LLC
FINALIST / HEALTH CARE & HEALTH CARE SERVICES TJ Farnsworth, founder and CEO of SightLine Health LLC, was born and bred an entrepreneur. He grew up in a household where his mother, a schoolteacher, started a series of her own successful businesses, and his father, an attorney, started his own boutique practice. He never thought […]
Christopher DeClaire, Co-founder and CAO, Vantage Drilling Co.
FINALIST / OIL FIELD SERVICES A big part of Christopher DeClaire’s personality is to give credit to his team for the success of Vantage Drilling Co., a deep water and high specification jack-up drilling company. DeClaire and his co-founder Paul Bragg, also the company’s CEO, have assembled a seasoned team of drilling industry veterans who […]
Grant Oliphant, President and CEO, The Pittsburgh Foundation
FINALIST / NONPROFIT When Grant Oliphant joined The Pittsburgh Foundation in March 2008, he was quick to point out that the organization urgently needed to redefine its role in the Pittsburgh community. But few knew the pace and extent of the changes that he had planned as president and CEO of one of the oldest […]
Joe Kiani, chairman and CEO, Masimo Corp.
WINNER – Life Sciences & Public Service Joe Kiani chairman and CEO Masimo Corp. Masimo Corp. Chairman and CEO Joe Kiani has built his company’s reputation by inventing noninvasive patient-monitoring devices. Masimo has accumulated a substantial intellectual property portfolio with more than 575 issued and pending patents worldwide. By taking on the nation’s most powerful […]