Past Honorees

Small Business Owners of the Year

1988, 1989 – Jim Nahan, Nahan Printing (deceased)

1990 – *Ron Schmitz, Ron’s Cabinets (deceased)

1991 – Jim & Dan Feneis, First Fuel Bank

1992 – Sue Pladson, Pladson Realty

1993 – Darwin & Roger Bonn, Peters Body Shop

1994 – Roger Bechtold, American Door Works

1995 – **Carl & Barb Caspers, Scott & Cori Schneider, TEC Interface Systems

1996 – *Tom Schlough, Park Industries

1997 – Mike Fitch & Pat Welty, SCR

1998 – Mark & Dave Traut, Traut Companies

1999 – Terry Rothstein, Continental Press

2000 – Arland “Brownie” Carlson, C & L Distributing (deceased)

2001 – *Dave, John & Lyle Ferkinhoff, East Side Glass/Thermo-Tech Windows

2002 – GLTArchitects

2003 – *Diane Mendel & Melody Peterson, Playhouse Child Care

2004 – Steve Palmer, Palmer Printing

2005 – Duane Schultz & Keith Schupp,  Winkelman Building Corporation

2006 – *Tom Grones & Dan Rudningen, GeoComm, Inc.

2007 – Doug Adamek, Workplace Behavioral Solutions

2008 – Deb Kosloske Kittridge, Bill “Sonny” & Tim Kosloske, Granite City Armored Car

2009 – *Byron Bjorklund, Custom Catering

2010 –  Kip Cameron, Granite-Tops, LLC

2011 –  Dr. Brownie Williams, DC, Williams\Integracare Clinic (deceased)

2012 – Mike Meyer & Pat Huesers, PAM’s Auto

2013 – *Scott Warzecha, Netgain

2014 – *Jim Kruse & Melissa Kelley, J.F. Kruse Jewelers

2015 – Larry Logeman, Executive Express

2016 – Sue Borgert, Borgert Products, Inc.

2017 – Kevin Johnson, K. Johnson Construction

2018 – Joel Bauer & Tim Burg, Midsota Manufacturing

2019 – Doug & Carol Severson, Handyman’s Inc.

2020 – Bruce Hagberg, riteSOFT, LLC

2021 – Joe Francis, Central McGowan

2022 – Tom Frericks, Ultimate Sports Bar & Grill

2023 – Rich & Jodi Erkens, Audio Video Extremes

2024 – Jeremy & Emily Salzbrun, H & S Heating, A/C, Electrical and Plumbing

Entrepreneurial Success Award

1998 – Harold Anderson, Anderson Trucking 

1999 – Dan Coborn (deceased) & Bill Coborn (deceased), Coborn’s, Inc.

2000 – *Gary Marsden, Marco

2001 – The Bauerly Companies (now Knife River Corporation North Central)

2002 – Don (deceased) & Mike Helgeson, GNP Company

2003 – Don & Sylvia Weeres, Spee-Dee Delivery

2004 – Bob Hennen, Hennen’s Furniture

2005 – Clint Lee & Gordon Brown, Weeres Industries

2006 – Patty Yarbrough, McKay’s Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge/ Mitsubishi

2007 – Linda & Bob Feuling, Westside Liquor

2008 – Fred Bursch, Bursch Travel Agency

2009 – John W. McDowall, McDowall Company

2010 – Paul M. Heath, MD & James M. Smith, MD, Midsota Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons

2011 – John & Diane Schlecht, Crafts Direct

2012 – Jim Christensen, Array Services Group

2013 – Bob Strack, Strack Companies

2016 – Scott Blattner, Blattner Energy

2017 – Doug Bischoff, Design Electrical Contractors

2018 – Dan Pearson, PleasureLand RV Center, Inc.

2020 – Richard Hobbs, Simonson Lumber

2021 – Joe Sexton & Gary Posch, Brandl Motors

 Small Business Advocate of the Year

1989 – *Andy Hilger, WJON Radio (deceased) and Jim Allen

1990 – *Al Didier, Bremer Bank (deceased)

1991 – Jerry Kigin, Norwest Bank (deceased)

1992 – *Mike Sipe, AIS Planning

1993 – Dean Bertsch

1994 – Alexandra Blum, Minnesota Business Finance Corp.

1995 – Jim Hoolihan, District Court Judge (deceased)

1996 – *John Herges, Falcon National Bank

Business Central Mark of Excellence

Woman in Business Champion

2006 – Sue Poser, Gruber’s Quilt Shop/DanTree Ct.

2008 – Grayce Berg, GB & Co. Hair-Skin-Spa

2012 – Joyce Brenny, Brenny Transportation, Inc.

2019 – Brenda Eisenschenk, InteleCONNECT, Inc.

2020 – Melinda Tamm, Ms. Melinda’s Dance Studio

2021 – Donella Westphal, Jules’ Bistro

2023 – Mary Hondl, Regional Diagnostic Radiology

2024 – Jill Magelssen, Express Employment Professionals

Family Owned Business

2007 – Robin Alton, Pan-O-Gold Baking Company

2009 – Mahowald Insurance Agency

2010 – Dick Bitzan, D.J. Bitzan Jewelers

2011 – Dan Miller, Miller Architects & Builders, Inc.

2014 – Pat & Paul Duininck, Royal Tire

2015 – Michael Faber, Viking Coca-Cola Bottling Co.

2016 – Carmie, Brian, Travis Mick, CWMF Corp.

2018 – Rollie Anderson, Anderson Trucking Service

2019 – Jeff & Steve Mies, Mies Outland

2022 – Pete Rengel, Rengel Printing

2024 – James, Andrew and David Jacobs, Jacobs Financial

Business Advocate

2013 – Lee Hanson, Gray Plant Mooty Mooty & Bennett, P.A.

 Emerging Entrepreneurs

2014 – Midwest Machinery Co.

2015 – Luke Riordan, DAYTA Marketing

2017 – Nick Barth & Matt Studer, Beaver Island Brewing  Co.

2022 – Michelle Henderson, BadCat Digital Marketing

2023 – Jay & Tina Mrozek, Blacklight Adventures