by Ellie Harland
Rovai
Each year Ernst & Young, through its Entrepreneur Of The Year® awards,
recognizes outstanding business achievements. Such accomplishments
are made possible by the entrepreneurial spirit—the remarkable depth
and character that entrepreneurs possess as they develop new technologies,
create faster ways to distribute goods and services, and improve
the quality of life for people around them.
This year’s nine award recipients represent a variety of industries
from high tech to high service. They have either founded or significantly
grown their companies. Some of the companies, are well-established
and well-known, such as Edward Jones, while others are young and
unfamiliar, such as TRG. What they all have in common is the ability
to turn obstacles into opportunities.
George Klenovich, director of Emerging Growth Markets at Ernst &
Young, heads up the St. Louis region’s Entrepreneur Of The Year
program. “We are so pleased with the high caliber of nominations
received—especially in light of the difficult economic conditions
this year,” he notes. “In 12 years of hosting this program, I have
never seen the judges have such difficulty in selecting both the
finalists and winners.”
Winners were announced at a gala award ceremony on June 13 at the
Ritz Carlton. Similar Entrepreneur Of The Year® celebrations were
held in 41 other cities around the country. Regional winners are
now eligible for the overall National Entrepreneur Of The Year award,
as well as several additional EOY category awards. National finalists
and award winners will be announced at a black-tie event in Palm
Springs, Calif., November 23, 2002.
This year’s local sponsors are Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, LaSalle
Bank, KMOX News/Talk 1120, the RCGA, the St. Louis Business Journal
and St. Louis Commerce Magazine. National sponsors include
USA Today, NASDAQ, Kauffman Center and CNN.
2002 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award Judges
Barry L. Babcock
Chairman, retired
Charter Communications
Brian Clevinger
Managing Partner
Prolog Venture, LLC
Peter S.
Finley
Managing Principal
Thompson Street Capital
Partners LLC
Robert
S. Holmes
Senior Vice President &
Division Head – Missouri Region
LaSalle Bank N.A.
Robert
Jones
President
The Jones Company
Matina
Koronis
President
Digital Partners, Inc.
Joseph
D. Lehrer
Chairman, Business Law Department
Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C.
Steven
Schankman
President
Contemporary Productions
David Spence
President
Alpha Plastics, Inc.
Master
Entrepreneur
John Bachmann, managing partner
Edward Jones
Emerging Entrepreneur
Todd Siwak, president; Roger Siwak, vice president operations;
Greg Siwak, vice president sales; and Terry Bader, vice president
marketing
TRG Accessories
Financial Services Entrepreneur
Shaun R. Hayes, chief executive officer and president
Allegiant Bancorp, Inc.
Industrial Application Manufacturing Entrepreneur
Roger D. Miller, chief executive officer and president
Gateway Packaging Company of Missouri
Manufacturing Technology
Solutions Entrepreneur
Leon Gurevich, chief executive officer and president
Rapid Development Services, Inc.
Business Services Entrepreneur
Kevin Charles Voges, president
The Material Works, Ltd.
Health Services Entrepreneur
Michael F. Neidorff, chief executive officer and president
Centene Corporation
Technology Entrepreneur
Dr. John P. McAlister, III, chief executive officer and president
Tripos, Inc.
Real Estate/ Construction Entrepreneur
Thomas R. Hughes, president
T.R. Hughes, Inc.
2002 Entrepreneur Of The Year® Finalists
George Klenovich, director of emerging growth markets at Ernst
& Young, also recognized the other finalists of this year’s Entrepreneur
Of The Year® awards program, stating that this year’s finalists
all deserve a special salute for their outstanding representation
of the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives in our region.
Gary Balke and Steve Brown
Balke Brown Associates
Marcia B. Mellitz
Center for Emerging Technologies
Joe Helmsing
Craftsmen Industries, Inc.
Nelson C. Grumney, Jr. and Stacy W. Hastie
Environmental Operations, Inc.
Holly D. Cunningham
Hollyberry Baking Company
Vernon L. Eriksen
Nooter / Eriksen, Inc.
Sanford Jaffe
The Booksource
Ellie Harland Rovai is a St. Louis-based
marketing communications professional. |
