Welcome to the inaugural BizTimes Best in Business issue.
A key part of BizTimes Media LLC’s corporate mission is to facilitate commerce in southeastern Wisconsin. With that in mind, we present this special report, which we plan to replicate in future years.
Think of this as a BizTimes “Greatest Hits” issue. We’ve sung these songs before. We’re just compiling these award-winning companies into a master list. Combined, we are saluting some of the best businesses in the region.
The 2012 BizTimes editorial calendar of business awards began in May at the BizExpo held at the Potawatomi Bingo & Casino, where approximately 3,000 executives attended the largest business-to-business networking event in the state.
The BizTimes Bravo! Entrepreneur Awards saluted several of the brightest, boldest and most dynamic business leaders in southeastern Wisconsin. The highlight of the luncheon came when Sheldon Lubar received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and he earned a standing ovation for his call for civility in Wisconsin’s politics.
The BizTimes Regional Spirit Award went to Sendik’s Food Markets owned by the Balistreri family, including Ted, Patrick and Nick Balistreri and Margaret Harris.
The BizTimes IQ (Innovation Quotient) Awards went to some of the most innovative companies in the region.
A final BizExpo award went to Gail Lione, who received the Woman Executive of the Year Award.
In June, BizTimes celebrated with the Waukesha Business Alliance to honor the Top 10 Businesses of the Year. Waukesha-based Dueco Inc. received the Business of the Year Award, which was accepted by CEO Judie Taylor.
BizTimes and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s Council of Small Business Executives (COSBE) presented the Future 50 Awards to the region’s fastest-growing companies in September. The winners included the “Fastest Five”: National Technologies Inc. of Oak Creek; Wisconsin Steel & Tube Corp. of Wauwatosa; Weldall Manufacturing of Waukesha; Engendren Corp. of Kenosha; and Key Technical Solutions Inc. of Wauwatosa. Combined, those five companies projected some $233 million in sales this year.
Finally, BizTimes, the Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA) and the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce presented the Kenosha County Business Excellence Awards in November, when Allied Plastics Inc. of Twin Lakes was named the Kenosha County Business of the Year. Allied Plastics is co-owned by Tim Neal and Steve Wieder.
You can read about all of these award-winning companies in this special report.
But this project is not merely a cold list of company names. You’ll find other vital details about the winners.
This special report also features 25 BizTimes Power Quotes. Each issue of BizTimes Milwaukee includes wisdom about best practices in business from some of the smartest and most accomplished company leaders in the region. We’ve compiled several of their best insights from the past year in this section. These Power Quotes provide pearls of wisdom about everything from branding to talent recruitment.
We invite readers to ponder these best practices as inspiration and tools to grow their own companies.
It has been an honor to serve you in 2012, and BizTimes looks forward to providing more relevant and timely news and information for business leaders in 2013. Please don’t hesitate to share your company’s journey with us. You can reach our editorial team at:
You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Here’s to a peaceful and prosperous 2013!
Click here to view the digital version of the Best in Business Cover Story.
