Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards

Nominate a deserving business for the 20th Annual
Joel LabovitzEntrepreneurial Success Award Recipients

Celebrate entrepreneurial leadership and successes in the Twin Ports and Arrowhead Region by recognizing those entrepreneurs who have continued their dreams and taken on inordinate risks to forge ahead meeting the challenges of today's economic reality. What business owner do you want to recognize? The categories are:

• Micro-Entrepreneur Award (2 to 4 years in business, less than 5 employees)
• Emerging Entrepreneur Award (2 to 4 years in business, more than 5 employees)
• Established Entrepreneur Award (5 to 14 years in business)
• Mature Entrepreneur Award (15+ years in business)
• Innovation Award (creating value by implementing a new idea or technology)

“Now more than ever, it is important to celebrate the accomplishments and recognize those individuals who have taken risks that have created an economic impact and employment opportunities in our region,” said Elaine Hansen, Director of the UMD Center for Economic Development.

The 20th Annual Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards Luncheon is our regional celebration of The U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Small Business Week and will be held on April 25, 2012 at the DECC.

Nominate a Business or Entrepreneur

Nominations deadline: March 1, 2012.

 

Presented by

 

 

The 2011 recipients:

MICRO-ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Little Neetchers
Joy and Joshua Herbert
After six years of being under-employed and needing government assistance to raise their family, Joy and Joshua Herbert found a solution in diapers. With the goal of thinking globally and acting locally, Joy and Joshua launched Little Neetchers, their cloth diaper business, and are not only reducing disposable diaper waste, but they are also allocating a percent of their profits to a program supporting children and mothers in need.

 

EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

aimClear®
Marty Weintraub
aimClear is an internationally recognized and highly respected online marketing agency based in lovely Duluth, Minnesota and historic Lowertown St. Paul . They specialize in paid and organic search and contextual online marketing, and offer clients a full array of state-of-the-art consulting and production services, as well as best-in-class demographic research capabilities.

 

ESTABLISHED ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

Scheuring Speed Sports
Steve Scheuring
Scheuring Speed Sports is the first truly independent racing team in the sport of snocross. Owner Steve Scheuring not only manages a racing team and machine shop, but he also operates a 13-acre snowmobile racing test facility at the ESPN Winter X Games. Scheuring Speed Sports anticipates growth and continuing stability in Aurora, MN.

 

MATURE ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

RAINY LAKE HOUSEBOATS
Bill, Cathie, and Tom Dougherty
The Dougherty family of Rainy Lake Houseboats has been providing guests with amazing vacations on Rainy
Lake since 1918. Home to Voyageurs National Park since 1971, Rainy Lake is a place of transition; between
upland and aquatic ecosystems, northern boreal and southern hardwood forests, development and wilderness. Their fully equipped houseboats provide total freedom to explore, discover hidden bays and intimate islands.  Rest on the sun-warmed sands of a secluded cove. Capture memories to last a lifetime!

 

INNOVATION AWARD:

NEW VINTAGE AMPLIFIERS
Nic, Patullo
New Vintage Amplifiers owner, Nic Patullo, feels that the best tone isn't achieved by cutting corners; it's made by the highest quality parts, and holding his company to the highest of standards. Transforming an old technology to exciting, innovative applications has brought this new business national recognition. New Vintage Amplifiers continues to set itself apart by increasing the quality of its products and components by utilizing time proven amplifier construction techniques used in many of the classic amplifier designs, coupled with the highest grade, modern parts. Thanks to his innovative thinking, Nic has created amplifiers that rival, if not surpasses, the quality and sound of the vintage classics.

 

Additional Award Recipients:

David A. Martin Entrepreneurial Leadership : Michael J. Lalich
Michael J Lalich has devoted much of his career to helping entrepreneurs and small business expand their products to new horizons, and yet protect the environment. He has a long career in the academic community as well as the private sector. He came to the area to become the first director of the Natural Resource Research Institute which is now 25 years old, and has guided the Institute through a multitude of changes at the University and in the economy of Northeastern Minnesota. Much of the development of the Institute is attributed to his vision, and he has built the Institute as a recognized model for interfacing the University with industry for the economic development of Minnesota's natural resources in an environmentally sound manner. Dr. Lalich was also one of the original members of the Arrowhead Growth Alliance that was formed by David A. Martin for whom this award is named. In honor of the 25 year anniversary of the Natural Resource Research Institute and his contributions to business and entrepreneurism, Michael J. Lalich was presented the David A. Martin Entrepreneurial Leadership Award.

Entrepreneurial Vision: Mark R. Phillips
Mark R. Phillips was involved in the early years of our region's economic development. He held several positions and in each brought new ideas and vision. He brings leadership to anything he is involved in, particularly public and private developments. Mark brings energy and excitement into a room, and when he sees an opportunity that is beneficial for the community he immediately takes a "how do we get this done" attitude that he shares with everyone involved. Twenty-five years ago, when we were forming the UMD Center for Economic Development he was there with ideas and became the first chair of the UMD CED Advisory Board. His work in economic development covers the public and private sectors, with time at the Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation Board, Minnesota Power, and Northeast Ventures, and most recently Kraus-Anderson. He is a recipient of the Economic Development Association of Minnesota's career achievement Award and was recently named Minnesota's Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development.

Entrepreneurial Spirit: Holly C. Sampson
Holly Sampson has exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit in everything that she does. For over twenty years she has lead Duluth/Superior Area Community Foundation, a regional organization that covers seven counties in Northeastern Minnesota and two counties in Northwestern Wisconsin. Under her leadership the endowed funds have grown from a base of $5 million to over $50 million and have returned over $37 million to our region in scholarships and grants. It is not uncommon for the Duluth/Superior Area Community Foundation to give project support to over 100 organizations in any given year and to award more than 350 scholarships to our youth and others to pursue their education. Holly is a leader and has created a model that is being replicated in other areas of the country. All of this would not be possible if Holly did not have an entrepreneurial spirit and a relentlessness in her pursuit of resources and opportunities.

Thank you to our event sponsors are Maurices, WestmorelandFlint, Flint Interactive, Northland's News Center, Iron Range Resources, Park State Bank, Greenstone Group, U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Minnesota Small Business Development Centers Network.

 

2010 Award Recipeints