Exemplary business leaders from across the state, including several from local companies, will be honored at the 2014 Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame induction ceremony and benefit dinner tomorrow.
Nathaniel Zelazo, co-founder of Milwaukee-based aerospace parts manufacturer Astronautics Corp. of America; William Specht, co-founder of Menomonee Falls-based sandwich chain Cousins Submarines Inc. and Terry Growcock, former chairman and chief executive officer of Manitowoc-based crane and foodservice equipment manufacturer The Manitowoc Co. will be honored at the event. Marvin Schuette of Wausau Homes will also be inducted.
Helen Johnson Leipold of Racine-based Johnson Outdoors Inc. will receive the Distinguished Executive Award. Cecelia Gore of the Milwaukee Brewers Foundation will receive the Peak Performer Award. And Carter Drake of Fort Atkinson-based Dreamscape Landscaping will receive the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
The event will be held tomorrow evening at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, and will include more than 500 attendees.
Inductees are chosen based on the impact they have made in Wisconsin through business innovations, effective management and civic involvement. They are also championed as role models for children, and the event raises money for Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, which aims to inspire young people to succeed in a global economy.
“It is our honor to induct these distinguished Laureates into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame,” said Tim Greinert, President of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin. “They created better, more productive lives for their employees who became family. Fashioned new and innovative ways of doing business; and set extraordinary goals, and then exceeded them. These Laureates are exceptional role models for Wisconsin’s young people.”
Previous Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame inductees include Robert Harlan of the Green Bay Packers, Pleasant Rowland of American Girl, Frederick Stratton, Jr. of Briggs & Stratton, Richard Teerlink of Harley-Davidson, Inc., John Stollenwerk of Allen Edmonds Shoe Company, Don Schneider of Schneider Trucking, Bud Selig of the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club and Oscar Mayer.
