EAST LANSING, Mich. — The 2019 Greater Lansing Entrepreneurial Awards were presented March 7 at Eagle Eye Golf Club to five worthy recipients. Tiffany Dowling, publisher of Greater Lansing Business Monthly and president and CEO of M3 Group, and Tony Willis, director of the New Economy Division for the Lansing Economic Area Partnership and president of Lansing PROTO, co-hosted the ceremony.
“The Entrepreneurial Awards program is one of my favorite events,” said Dowling. “I believe in small businesses and the entrepreneurial spirit. Celebrating the passion and drive toward success truly makes me happy. And, to see so many entrepreneurs come together to celebrate the impact and strides they make on our local economy is truly what makes Lansing great.”
The guest speaker for the evening was Dr. Tami Peterson, founder and CEO of Oxford Recovery Center. Addressing a crowd of business owners, community supporters and past honorees, Peterson shared her infectious passion to help others with a holistic treatment option for children and adults. Her story epitomizes the true entrepreneur, who sees a direct need and finds a way to fill it. Her personal journey is compelling.
This year’s Entrepreneurial Award winners included:
- Entrepreneur of the Year: Brian Posey of The Ticket Machine Inc., is an expert in the identification of opportunity and the execution of strategy. He has taken a dream and a sports passion to a multimillion-dollar enterprise by implementing the best industry practice, education and valuable consumer protection.
- Innovative Company of the Year: Terry Grimm ofNiowave Inc., has become a worldwide leader in research, development, manufacturing and operation of superconducting electron linear accelerators used for medical radioisotope production. Niowave is the only company in the world that can build and operate superconducting electron accelerators, licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to work with radioactive materials, and operate an in-house radiochemistry facility used to extract and purify solid, liquid and gaseous radioactive isotopes.
- Entrepreneurial Spirit: Brian Town of Michigan Creative not only thinks outside the box, he brings those ideas to life. Thanks to one business owner stepping out of his comfort zone, this honoree has embodied the leap-of-faith mentality all entrepreneurs need to find success. Fearlessness sets the tone for others and sets the bar for what can be accomplished when you dream big and put forth an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Socially Responsible Entrepreneur: Kathy Valentine ofThe Plant Professionals puts the community and the environment at the forefront of decision-making, and her business has earned the right to be viewed as a beacon of inspiration for others in the area. By placing an emphasis on going green, this is definitely a business that is pushing boundaries for a better tomorrow for all.
- Leadership Award: Missey Trudell of Paper Image demonstrates not only what it takes to be a leader, but what it takes to be successful in the face of adversity. By persevering and not giving up, even when intimidated by industry leaders, she pushed through. She knows the importance of leadership and creating a work environment where everyone has a voice.
