The Spirit of Enterprise Center

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Amazing Mail
CBIZ Miller Wagner
Grand Canyon Railway

At a time when family businesses struggle to survive to the second generation, Goodmans Interior Structures was celebrating a half century of success. The late Edward and Anna Goodman founded the business. Their son, Murray, is chairman and chief executive officer. He has begun transitioning leadership to his own son, Adam. The company’s mission is to promote good design in our communities. Its guiding values are:

• Be more important to the customer.
• Be better to ourselves.
• Be financially strong.
• Be environmentally responsible.
• Operate at the highest ethical level.

To learn more: www.goodmans.info

To learn more: www.autoxray.com

To learn more: www.ckengr.com

To learn more: www.delstargroup.com

To learn more: www.dbldistributing.com

nFocus Software ™ is the leading provider of tracking tools that quantify and report on the impact of programs and services offered by nonprofit organizations, public schools and government agencies.

The Phoenix-based company has 2,000 clients worldwide. Founder Ananda Roberts began the company while she was a college student at the University of Texas, where she raised more than $15 million for various charities. She moved nFocus to Phoenix is 1994 to provide innovative technology, as well as financial and management solutions to education and government.

nFocus employees are committed to changing the face of America, for the better, one community at a time.

To learn more: www.nfocus.com

The Emerging Entrepreneur Award was won by It’s A Ruff! Life, a three-year-old Phoenix cage-free dog daycare and activity center. Eileen Proctor is founder and Top Dog.
To learn more: www.itsarufflife.com

Family Business Awards were made to two companies.

• Azteca Wedding Plaza is a 47-year-old Arizona tradition founded and managed by the Torrez family. To learn more: www.azbride.com/
   
  
• Jokake Companies is a 20-year-old organization of third generation Arizonans, brothers Mike and Gary Smith. To learn more: www.jokake.com

The Special Achievement Award went to D. R. Wastchak, LLC, which provides energy efficiency testing and inspections to new homes. ASU graduates Daran and Mary Wastchak are founders. To learn more: www.drwastchak.com

Cold Stone Creamery, an Arizona company ranked in the top 100 of America's fastest growing franchises by "Entrepreneur" magazine, received the signature 2002 Spirit of Enterprise Award™.

The Cold Stone Creamery that we know today is the direct result of two ice cream lovers' crusade for the perfect ice cream dessert. The year was 1988. Donald and Susan Sutherland, after years of tirelessly searching for ice cream that met their standards of quality, flavor, consistency and variety opened the first Cold Stone Creamery in Tempe, Arizona.

When Cold Stone received the Spirit of Enterprise Award™, it had 285 stores open and 590 stores awarded in 33 states and the US Virgin Islands. Each year, this growing community of Cold Stone Creamery delivers its unique ice cream experience to millions of new people in an ever-growing number of communities.

The Emerging Entrepreneur Award, was given to Specialized Services Company, a family owned utility installation, auger-directional boring and excavation services company. To learn more: www.sscboring.com

The Family Business Award went to Farnam Companies, Inc., a 50-year-old business that develops and sells innovative horse, pet and livestock health products. To learn more: www.farnam.com

The Special Achievement Award honored Dollar Depot, Inc., a bargain shopping retail company established in 1998 by a first generation immigrant from Vietnam, Danny Pham.

The WestStar TalkRadio Network was founded by Barry Young in 1990. Ms. Komando signed on in 1995 with her three-hour talk and call-in show. Today she is the chairman and chief financial officer of WestStar, and Young is president and CEO.

She started with just two customers — Phoenix radio station KFYI and the Arizona Republic. Over the years, Ms. Komando's show exploded, and is now carried by 418 stations nationwide. Her column is syndicated to 90 newspapers. In addition, she publishes an e-mail newsletter that has 350,000 subscribers, and is computer editor of Popular Mechanics magazine.

To learn more: www.komando.com

The Emerging Entrepreneur went to KnowledgeNet. The company, founded by Mark Rukavina and Tom Gaunke, is a leader in next generation e-learning. To learn more: www.knowledgenet.com

The Family Business went to Donley Service Center. Jim Donley founded the company that specializes in air conditioning, heating and plumbing services.

CP Products is a small-shop success story in an industry dominated by large corporations. Chris Christopher patented an aerial nozzle and joined Bob Evans, an experienced marketer and friend of 40 years, in the formation of The CP Products Company.

In just a few short years, these two World War II pilots established CP Aerial Nozzles® as the industry standard. CP Products then added an aerial check valve to its line.

"CP Products has revolutionized and simplified operations for agriculture pilots. We believe the custom operators can expect the same results with CP Products' nozzles and check valves for ground rigs," notes Dick Reade, President of Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp.

CP Products' company philosophy centers on service to its customers and positive contribution to the agriculture industry.

As Mr. Christopher relates, "We work to give the best possible service to our customers. Our new product development begins with customer calls, comments, suggestions and criticisms."

Added Mr. Evans, "This industry is under unprecedented pressure to produce high quality crops at the lowest price and the least risk to the environment. It's a tall order, but the more contact we have with farmers and custom operators, the higher our faith in the industry and its ability to meet these challenges. It is a privilege to be participants in this industry."

In 2000, Carolyn Baecker was named president of the company. She is Mr. Evans' daughter.

To learn more: www.cpproductsinc.com

Lyle P. Campbell is a banking entrepreneur who turned adversity into opportunity. In 1991, Founders Bank was at the top of a national list of "banks most likely to fail." In 1999, the American Bankers Association named Founders one of the top 50 banks in its category.

Commenting on the Spirit of Enterprise Award™, Mr. Campbell said, "Being an entrepreneur has given me tremendous opportunity...I am grateful for having been born in this wonderful country where any individual can be anything they want to be."

Mr. Campbell was chairman of the board of Founders when the Spirit of Enterprise Award™ was presented. Founders was purchased by Compass Bancshares, Inc., in the spring of 2000.

In 2005, Mr. Campbell opened Legacy Bank in Scottsdale.

Novocom Inc. is a world-recognized leader in providing broadcast branding / identities and design and post-production compositing and visual effects. Novocom's president and creative director, John Ridgway, is a graduate of the ASU College of Fine Arts. Mr. Ridgway envisions Novocom as "providers of creative solutions for our clients' immediate and long-term needs. We understand their problems and deliver the best possible creative product on time, on budget and with added value. We work in partnership with our clients to create design solutions and systems that, by design, grow with their needs." Mr. Ridgway is now CEO and creative director of VIA Worldwide, based in Hollywood, CA.

To learn more: www.viaworldwide.net

The inaugural recipient of this prestigious honor was Lavidge & Hiegel in 1997. The company is now The Lavidge Company.

The Scottsdale-based company creates marketing ideas and communications that enable its clients to make the most of marketing opportunities and solve marketing problems. The company is committed to loyalty, integrity, teamwork, creativity, enthusiasm, customer service, community service and respect for the individual.

Mr. Hiegel is now at Phoenix-based R&R Partners.

To learn more: www.lavidge.com