How Jim Sartori and Jeff Schwager invest in the quality of Sartori cheese
Family Business Award of Excellence WINNER When the recent recession came around, Jim Sartori and Jeff Schwager decided not to participate. Rather, at their company Sartori Co. they continued to emphasize customer focus, cheese quality and reinvestment, all of which have enabled Sartori to prosper. Schwager considers the significant growth of Sartori, including its […]
How Mark Montgomery surpassed a disadvantage to take Axium to new levels
Health Care AWARD RECIPIENT Mark Montgomery President and CEO Axium Healthcare Pharmacy Inc. Mark Montgomery knew it would be tough to launch a new business in a competitive market, but he also faced another disadvantage. Although he had become a successful entrepreneur, he did not have the scientific knowledge of clinical pharmacy — the specialty […]
How John Kunkel used his restaurant industry experience to create critically acclaimed concepts at 50 Eggs Inc.
Hospitality AWARD RECIPIENT John Kunkel founder and CEO 50 Eggs Inc. John Kunkel exaggerated his age to get his first job was as a dishwasher in a restaurant at age 15, but there was no exaggerating his can-do attitude and strong work ethic, which allowed him to escalate the ranks of the restaurant industry. When […]
How Dan Doyle Jr. built DEX Imaging to be a company customers can always count on for solutions
Technology AWARD RECIPIENT Dan Doyle Jr. president and CEO DEX Imaging Dan Doyle Jr. had two objectives in mind when he co-founded DEX Imaging in 2002 with his father, Dan Sr. He wanted to create a privately-held dealership that focuses on quality service. He also wanted to give back one third of the company’s profits […]
How Todd Berger fought skepticism to innovate Transportation Solutions Enterprises
Industrial and Distribution FINALIST Todd Berger first got a taste for the transportation and logistics industry as an intern for American Backhaulers — and it didn’t go well. He vowed to never work in that industry again. After all, it was a time when pioneer companies like Google and Apple were the leaders of innovation, […]
How Amit Bhandari kept rising above every challenge to fulfill his dream with BioUrja Group
Distribution & Manufacturing FINALIST Amit Bhandari Founder BioUrja Group Little has come easy in life for Amit Bhandari. He left his home in Indore, India, at the age of 17 to come to the United States and pursue the entrepreneurial instincts that were beginning to drive him. Those instincts were strong, but they weren’t enough […]
How Christian Beckett recruited a seasoned management team to garner success at start-up Pacific Drilling
Energy Services FINALIST Christian J. Beckett CEO Pacific Drilling Christian Beckett is the CEO of a start-up offshore drilling company that specializes in ultra-deep water drilling — one of only two drilling companies in the offshore drilling industry capable of drilling at those depths. Beckett’s vision was to build an elite fleet of drilling ships […]
How Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry have built a bright future with the green cleaning supplies of Method Products
NCA Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Retail and Consumer Products Finalist Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry co-founders Method Products, Inc. Co-founders Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry are not only leaders of their company, Method Products, Inc., but also leaders in a historically stagnant industry. They have led from a core set […]
How Zachary Boca and Dan Ushman went from chat room buddies to partners and founded SingleHop
Private Equity/Venture Capital Backed FINALIST Zachary Boca and Dan Ushman were chat room buddies on AOL at age 13 — little did they know then that they would later collaborate on a cloud computing startup company, SingleHop. They shared interests at that young age and continued to stay in touch as they worked toward […]
How Dominic Gallello turned around MSC Software to help the Mars Rover land on the red planet
Technology FINALIST In 2009, Dominic Gallello was tasked to turn around a company known for expensive and difficult-to-use software. The mismanaged and ailing MSC Software, founded in 1963 to assist with simulations for the space program, had not updated its products in far too long, customer churn rates were high, and there was no spark […]