MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ernst & Young LLP today announced the finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2013 Award in the Upper Midwest region. The awards program recognizes high-growth entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. These 29 finalists were selected from 61 nominations by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 13, 2013, at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center.
At the gala, in addition to recognizing the regional finalists, Randall Hogan, chairman and CEO of Pentair, will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement award.
The Upper Midwest region includes companies based in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Collectively, this year’s finalists created nearly 4,000 jobs in the past three years, providing 19,588 jobs at the end of 2012. These companies generated more than $9.6 billion of revenue in 2012, and grew their company’s employment by nearly 20 percent and their revenues by 40 percent between 2010 and 2012.
This year’s finalists are:
- Apex Information Technologies – Brian Kueppers (St. Paul, Minnesota)
- Augeo Marketing – David Kristal (St. Paul, Minnesota)
- Code 42 Software – Matthew Dornquast (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Coolibar, Inc. – John Barrow (St. Louis Park, Minnesota)
- Fabcon – Michael LeJeune (Savage, Minnesota)
- Foster Group, Inc. – Jerry Foster (West Des Moines, Iowa)
- G&K Services, Inc. – Douglas Milroy (Minnetonka, Minnesota)
- Gardner Builders – Bob Gardner (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Genova Technologies – Dawn Ainger (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
- Hayneedle Inc. – Doug Nielsen (Omaha, Nebraska)
- Hot Mama – Megan Tamte (Edina, Minnesota)
- Intertech, Inc. – Thomas Salonek (Eagan, Minnesota)
- Involta – Bruce Lehrman (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
- JAMF Software, LLC – Christopher Pearson and Richard Halmstad (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- KLN Family Brands – Kenny Nelson (Perham, Minnesota)
- LightEdge Solutions, Inc. – Jim Masterson (Des Moines, Iowa)
- MBI Energy Services, Inc. – James Arthaud (Belfield, North Dakota)
- Metropolitan Transportation Network, Inc. – Tashitaa Tufaa (Fridley, Minnesota)
- Milk Specialties Global – David Lenzmeier (Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
- Omaha Steaks International, Inc. – Bruce Simon (Omaha, Nebraska)
- Pawn America – Brad Rixmann (Burnsville, Minnesota)
- ReconRobotics, Inc. – Alan Bignall (Edina, Minnesota)
- Renters Warehouse – Brenton Hayden (Minnetonka, Minnesota)
- Rock Communications and Colorfx – Jon Troen (Newton, Iowa)
- Spray Control Systems, Inc. – Craig Kruckeberg (Blooming Prairie, Minnesota)
- The Nerdery – Mike Derheim (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- The Scoular Company – Marshall Faith (Omaha, Nebraska)
- Vomela – Thomas Auth (St. Paul, Minnesota)
Now in its 27th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Program has expanded globally to recognize entrepreneurs in over 140 cities and in more than 50 countries throughout the world. Regional award winners go on to compete at the national level. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2013. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.
Sponsors
Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the
Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP America
and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
In the Upper Midwest region, local sponsors include Padilla Speer Beardsley, Faegre Baker Daniels and Twin Cities Business. Locally, the program is sponsored by Lockton Companies, Pohlad Companies and Sálo.
Contact Information
To make reservations for the
Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards gala on June 13, contact Christine Evans
of Ernst & Young at 612-341-4747 or christine.evans@ey.com.
Tickets are $225 per person or $2,100 for 10 tickets. For more
information about the program, please visit www.ey.com/us/eoy/um.
About Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year®
Ernst
& Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious
business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award recognizes the
significant contributions of entrepreneurs who inspire others with their
vision, leadership and achievement.
About Ernst & Young LLP’s Strategic Growth Markets practice
Ernst
& Young LLP’s Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practice guides leading
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