Top Inland Business Leaders Honored with Spirit of the Entrepreneur Award Image.
Top Inland Business Leaders Honored with Spirit of the Entrepreneur Award
November 14, 2014
by Spirit Administrator
Views: 6093

Riverside, Calif., November 14, 2014 – A record audience of 760 business and community leaders gathered last night to celebrate and honor eight Inland Empire entrepreneurs during the 12th Annual Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards, an event recognizing the leadership, innovation and business acumen of entrepreneurs.

“Each year we find out just how deep the entrepreneurial talent pool of the Inland Empire is,” said Dr. Mike Stull, founding organizer of the event and director of Cal State San Bernardino’s Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship. “The number of unique companies and inspiring success stories continues to amaze us.”

This year’s award recipients recognized at the black-tie gala, chosen from 27 finalists, include:

Family Business

  • Kathy and Steve Nichols - Chino Valley Ranchers - Colton

General Entrepreneur

  • Alan Boudreau - Boudreau Pipeline Corporation - Corona

Innovator Entrepreneur

  • Adel Sayegh - Universal Surveillance Systems, LLC - Rancho Cucamonga

Contract Manufacturing Entrepreneur

  • Mark Atchison - AMA Plastics - Riverside

Manufacturing Entrepreneur

  • Terri Rogers - O.W. Lee Co., Inc. - Ontario

Service-Based Entrepreneur

  • Brad McDermith - Computer Options, Inc. - Redlands

Small or Emerging Enterprise

  • Kenya Mills - Innovative Infusion Solutions - Corona

Social Entrepreneur

  • Angela Janus - ShareKitchen - Cathedral City

Supporter of Entrepreneurship

  • Tom Flavin and Joe Wallace - Coachella Valley Economic Partnership - Palm Springs

Best of the Best Award (top entrepreneur of the event)

  • Adel Sayegh - Universal Surveillance Systems, LLC - Rancho Cucamonga

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The event also featured the presentation of the 2014 Spirit of the Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement award to Forrest Lucas, who founded Lucas Oil Products, Inc. of Corona. The firm is the world leader in providing high performance lubricants and problem solving additives and produces and markets more than 272 unique formulations in more than thirty four countries around the world. In addition the company is heavily involved in motorsports and owns the specialty television channel MavTV, a general entertainment cable and satellite television channel that focuses on motorsports and feature films.

FAST PITCH COMPETITION

As part of the event festivities, the Garner Holt Student Fast Pitch Competition was held for five future entrepreneurs to deliver a 90-second pitch about their up-and-coming venture idea to the audience and were critiqued on their overall preparation, poise and professional presentation. The top three pitches were recognized and the top student walked away with a $4,000 prize. The fast pitch, which involves students from Cal State San Bernardino, is sponsored by local entrepreneur Garner Holt of San Bernardino. Holt’s company, Garner Holt Productions, is the world’s leading manufacturer of Animatronics & Animatronic Figures.

EVENT SPONSORS

The Spirit of the Entrepreneur event was presented by the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at California State University San Bernardino and sponsored by a wide range of local organizations including Best Best & Krieger LLP; Vistage; Los Angeles News Group; Inland Empire magazine; Bank of America; City of Riverside; Business Alliance; UPS; CDC Small Business Finance; Rogers, Anderson, Malody & Scott, LLP; Varner & Brandt LLP; Wells Fargo; Altek Media Group; Riverside County Economic Development Agency.

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