Setting an example with perseverance and hard work.
by Rick A. Richards
The 2012 Entrepreneurial Excellence Award recipients have one thing in common: Not one of them expected to be where they are today and none anticipated they would be held up as a mentor for others.
But when the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center named its 2012 recipients, each of the nine became a symbol for others that through hard work, dedication, perseverance and sacrifice, success is attainable for anyone.
Paul Williams
Big Dog Transportation
Northwest Indiana SBDC Client of the Year
“I was kind of surprised,” says Paul Williams, a former teacher who now operates Big Dog Trucking in Merrillville. “I had put in a lot of work at the business, so it was kind of nice to get the recognition.”
When Williams started Big Dog Trucking in 2006, he was looking to supplement his pay as a teacher at Hammond Baptist High School. He brought in an extra $300 a week by delivering items from Menard's around Northwest Indiana.
“I didn't know anything about trucking when I started,” says Williams. It wasn't long before he acquired another trailer and began delivering chemicals. “I didn't know anything about that, either.”
By the end of 2011, Big Dog Trucking was handling 1,200 deliveries a year, but in 2012, things took off. The company handled more than 2,500 deliveries. The big increase came when Williams stopped making deliveries and converted the company into a transportation brokerage, connecting trucks with loads needing to be delivered.
Tom Rowland, a certified public accountant and owner of Treehouse Financial in Merrillville, nominated Williams. “What struck me about Paul is that he's what I call a next-generation entrepreneur. He is fearless. He has a grand vision and he's attacking it.”
Now that Williams is focused on trucking, he says he doesn't miss grading papers. “I miss the teaching and interacting with the kids, though.”
Looking ahead, Williams says he expects Big Dog Trucking to continue to grow. “We've had pretty fantastic growth, doubling in size the last few years,” he says.
Tom Rowland
Treehouse Financial
Garry Bradley Small Business Advocate of the Year
When Tom Rowland was in school studying to be an accountant, he wanted nothing more than to be snatched up by one of the Big Six accounting firms. That's exactly what happened when he was hired by Ernst & Young in Cleveland.
Later he left to work as controller for LTV Steel and moved to Northwest Indiana. He liked the region and when he was called to return to Cleveland, he didn't go. He worked as an accountant for a construction company and in 2007 went out on his own.
“I was surprised about the award,” says Rowland. “My first thought was ‘How do I fit in? There are so many talented people in this area, why me?” Reflecting on the honor, Rowland says it's reassuring that others have confidence in what he does.
Rowland was nominated by Gerald Bishop, a lawyer and partner in the firm Gerald M. Bishop & Associates. Because of Rowland's experience with Fortune 500 companies, Bishop says Rowland has “has what it takes” and is able to guide companies around many of the stumbling blocks that affect small businesses.
“Tom knows the potential pitfalls which might be encountered along the way. That experience coupled with his involvement in the multimillion-dollar corporate environment provides Tom with a vast amount of knowledge and experience,” says Bishop.
“I was 47 years old when I started this,” says Rowland. “I'm pretty much a one-man show and what's justification for me is when my clients do well. I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing for them day in and day out.”
In the future, Rowland wants to grow, but not a lot. “I want to be doing exactly what I'm doing now, but for a few more clients. If I can encourage and promote and give small business entrepreneurs advice, then that's good enough for me.”
Jeanne Sommer
Century 21 Alliance Group
Woman-Owned Business of the Year
When Jeanne Sommer learned she had been named Woman-Owned Business of the Year, she was “very excited, very grateful and very surprised.”
But her excitement wasn't just for her real estate business, but also for her real love: pet rescue. Along with Century 21 Alliance Group in Valparaiso, Sommer operates Lakeshore PAWS, a not-for-profit pet rescue operation.
“I knew for a long time I wanted to do real estate,” says Sommer, whose mother and father were in the real estate business. “I went to college where I swore I wouldn't do it,” but after 10 years as a production manager at Quaker Oats, she came home when the real estate business beckoned.
“I think the recognition is nice because it shows women can be successful and be an integral part of the business community,” says Sommer. “There was a glass ceiling at Quaker Oats, but there is no glass ceiling in being a real estate agent.”
Today, Century 21 Alliance Group has 35 agents and operates in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. Sommer says her name may be on the award, but insists it wouldn't have been possible without the effort of everyone in her organization.
“Everyone has a job to do and they do it,” she says, giving special acknowledgement to her husband, Nick, a commercial real estate agent with the company.
Her business success helped her create Lakeshore PAWS. “I really love being able to help and be involved with animals. It's a little strange for some people to find us working on that from here, but I really love doing that.”
Rene A. Martin, first vice president of Citizens Financial Bank in Valparaiso nominated Sommer. She says her “positive attitude, strong work ethic and commitment to volunteerism has been the catalyst behind the success of her Century 21 Alliance real estate team … and led to my decision to nominate her for the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. Jeanne's values and the values she has instilled in her team are consistent with Citizens Financial Bank's philosophy and dedication to support community programs that enhance the quality of life in the communities they serve.”
Wade Breitzke
27 Entertainment
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Wade Breitzke started as a DJ and today his Valparaiso business, 27 Entertainment, has expanded to include wedding videos, public service announcements, web-based profiles and commercials.
“This is definitely an honor,” says Breitzke, 26. We've worked hard to get where we are. When I got the phone call, I felt like I still had a lot of work to do.”
Breitzke started his company in 2006 and today it has four full-time and 12 part-time employees. He was nominated by Chris Mahlmann, owner of ValpoLife.com. “I met Wade at a wedding for one of my team members. I could tell in a minute where he wanted his company to go and how he was going to get there.”
Breitzke originally started down the traditional advertising and public relations path, but wanted to do more. Most recently, he created Rock Box, a video production operation that focuses on small business. “You have to keep on top of things by going to conferences and meetings and invest in the right equipment. You have to make sure your clients get the best.”
Breitzke says he's always wanted to own his own business. “Things have really worked out for me. There is so much talent in the region which is why this honor is so humbling. We still don't know how good we can be.”
27 Entertainment's work can be seen on Comcast cable as commercials and on websites for area businesses. In the meantime, Breitzke is working with Purdue University North Central to create a program in instructional design that other entrepreneurs can use as a jumping off point.
Christine Newton
South Shore Insurance
Emerging Small Business of the Year
When Christine Newton started South Shore Insurance in 1988, it meant leaving a lot of loyal clients behind at American Family Insurance, where she had worked for several years. She says that by branching out on her own as an independent insurance agent, she was able to offer clients more options.
“I've always owned my own business; it's preferable to me,” she says. “It gives me the freedom I like and the ability to plan my year. I find it very exciting.”
When Newton learned she was chosen by the Northwest Indiana SBDC, she describes feeling happy. “I think it's a positive for me and the company. It adds credibility to what we do.”
Newton was nominated by James Magera of 1st Source Bank. “Christine's award … is a result of her ability to adapt to changes in the economy and her business model. … she is the one who made it work through her sound business plan, budget and long hours.”
Newton says she's made her business plans realistically and knew what she was getting into. “It's stressful, but not in a bad way,” she says.
Over the next few years, Newton would like to see South Shore Insurance grow by 50 percent and add a couple more employees, including an outside sales rep.
“What gives me satisfaction is knowing that when you're working with customers we're helping them grow,” she says.
Georgeann Quealy
Integrative Flavors
Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year
Integrative Flavors has been around for decades, so when owner Georgeann Quealy learned it was being honored by the Northwest Indiana SBDC, she says she was “very excited.”
Being honored for something the company has been doing for years sends a message that what it's doing and its approach is on the right path.
Quealy's father started the business in Chicago, later moved to Gary, then to Michigan City, and three years ago she moved to The Pines in Porter County.
“What I've noticed most since receiving the honor is exposure,” says Quealy. “People know who we are. It validates that our family works well together and that we're well thought of.”
Integrative Flavors has been around since 1938 and produces a variety of soup bases–pork, chicken, beef and shrimp–used in restaurants around the country. Last year, the company produced half a million pounds of soup base.
Since moving to The Pines, Quealy says the company has become more automated. “We've picked up new customers and that's part of the reason we're getting new equipment.”
The move to The Pines quadrupled Integrative Flavors' production capability. “We had enough space that we thought it would last us for years. But we've grown a lot faster than we anticipated.”
When the company made the move, it had 12 employees. Today, Integrative Flavors has 16.
Erik Back of 1st Source Bank nominated Quealy. He worked with the company in its move to the larger space and says he was impressed by the family's plan. “The recommendation of Integrative Flavors for the award was based upon their intergenerational ownership, commitment to the community, and management's efforts to continue to position the company for the next generation,” says Back.
Looking ahead, Quealy says that within five years she would like to have 30 employees and be providing much more seafood base to customers.
“We're an ingredient that most people have eaten if they eat at a chain restaurant,” says Quealy. “They just don't know about us.”
Cole Doolittle
Waste Revelation
Entrepreneurial Success of the Year
Throwing something away ought to be pretty simple, but companies are finding it's not as easy as it seems. Old and outdated electronic equipment, cleaners, solvents and other items need special handling, and that's where Cole Doolittle comes in.
His company, Waste Revelation in Valparaiso, was founded in 2000, and offers consulting to help companies properly and safely dispose of items. “I describe what I do as a niche business like hiring a Realtor or a lawyer.”
Doolittle says he was flattered when he learned that his company had been named Entrepreneurial Success of the Year. “It was nice, very nice, especially since we have a very unusual niche.”
Doolittle says in just the past two years, Waste Revelation has helped companies dispose of or recycle more than 400,000 tons of waste. “When I started, I never had any hesitation that I wouldn't succeed,” says Doolittle. “If you go into something with the idea that you might fail, you will fail.”
The idea for Waste Revelation came when he was working in South Carolina as an engineer at a landfill overseeing the disposal of construction waste.
“I noticed one truck came in and was weighed and the cost was $41 a tons. Another truck came in and it was $31 a ton. Why the difference? It was the same source and the same stuff being dumped into a hole in the ground,” says Doolittle.
“The light bulb went off. I realized no one knew anything about the cost of disposing of waste. I knew there was an opportunity to represent waste generators.”
The uniqueness of the business attracted Mark Baird of Centier Bank. He nominated Doolittle.
“When we represent the client we work to get them the best deal they can for disposal. We split the money they save with them,” Doolittle says.
Melissa Neff
Mechanical Concepts
Small Business Person of the Year
Melissa Neff studied music education at Valparaiso University, but after she got out of school, she worked at a bank. She then spent time as a stay-at-home mom, and since 1988, has been a partner with her husband, Ralph, in Mechanical Concepts in Gary.
The company is one of the region's leaders in heating, ventilation and air conditioning design and installation.
“I was surprised, flattered by the honor,” Neff says of being named Small Business Person of the Year. “I felt very honored because there are a lot of hard-working people out there.”
She says the honor is great for the business because it recognizes the hard work put in over the years. “When Ralph came to me and said he wanted to do this, he was confident. He told me I think we can do this, but to get ahead we'll have to do this ourselves.”
It's that confidence that led Mechanical Concepts where it is today. It also was noticed by Christopher Campbell of Centier Bank, who nominated Neff for the honor. Campbell says the “friendly and honest” approach that Melissa and Ralph Neff have taken in their business is why it has been so successful.
“When we first started we didn't have a lot of clients,” says Neff. “We wanted to do things the right way because we wanted to be able to hold our heads up in the community.”
Another principle, says Neff, was not cutting corners. “We've been fair to our employees and our clients.”
Mechanical Concepts operates a fully unionized shop and Neff says she wouldn't have it any other way because the expertise and skill her employees have translates into quality work.
Gus Olympidis
Family Express
Lifetime Achievement Award
Gus Olympidis' story about how he built Family Express is well known. The young man from Greece bought a 7-Eleven store in Griffith when he was 21 years old, a time when convenience store culture was a bit seedy. Olympidis wanted to change that.
He came up with a concept that created brighter, more welcoming stores, and today his company operates 56 outlets across central and Northwest Indiana.
And while the honor of the Lifetime Achievement Award is flattering, Olympidis admits he's a bit uncomfortable with individual honors. “The award is a recognition that someone has been paying attention.”
That someone is James Jorgensen, a lawyer with Hoeppner, Wagner & Evans in Valparaiso. He is a longtime friend who says that spending a few minutes with Olympidis is a graduate course in the convenience store business.
Olympidis returns the compliment. “Jim is a wonderful guy, one of the finest guys on the planet.”
That underscores what Olympidis wants for everyone who visits his stores. He wants them to be friends. It's a philosophy that generated more than $300 million in business last year.
“When I started, I was personally inspired by Denis Ribordy,” says Olympidis of the man who successfully built a chain of drugstores in the region before selling them. “Like him, I hope to inspire others. I think my message today would be that being a successful entrepreneur helps build a successful society.”
