2006 Entrepreneur Nominees

2006 Entrepreneur Nominees

Reflecting the Gulf Coast Business Review's expanded coverage area, this year's nominations for the Review's ninth annual Entrepreneur Award totals nearly 100 names from among companies that stretch from Tampa Bay south to Naples.

Unlike previous years, the Review this year will recognize an overall winner from the entire Gulf Coast, along with a regional winner each from Tampa Bay, Sarasota-Manatee and the Lee-Collier-Charlotte area. The winners will be announced in the Review's May 19 edition.

In this first year of recognizing the entire Gulf Coast's top-performing entrepreneurs, the Review received and compiled 24 nominations from the Tampa Bay area, 44 from Sarasota and Manatee counties and 27 from Lee-Collier-Charlotte counties.

The list runs the gamut - entrepreneurs who lead big, well-known companies to those shepherding small but fast-growing businesses.

Some on the list will be familiar to Review readers, such as Jim Abrams, chief executive officer of Clockwork Home Services, and John Williams, president of Bradenton-based Gould & Lamb LLC. They were runners-up last year, when the award focused solely on the Sarasota-Manatee region. The 2005 winner was Pat Neal, owner and chief executive officer of Bradenton-based homebuilder Neal Communities.

As in year's past, this year's nominees also represent a variety of industries - from the predictable sectors of real estate and development (27 nominees) to those representing financial services, technology companies, restaurant chains and a budding chocolate empire in Fort Myers.

The winners of the award will be chosen on the basis of a three-year record of performance, with an emphasis on strong and consistent growth; a demonstration of innovation and accomplishment; and how the entrepreneur confronted and overcame challenges. The winners will be selected by a panel of judges consisting of the Review's editors. And from this list of nearly 100 nominees, the Review will select five finalists from each region. Those names will be published May 5.

For more information about the awards, contact Review Managing Editor Mark Gordon, [email protected] or 941-362-4848, ext. 303.

THE NOMINEES

TAMPA/ST. PETE/ REGION

Terry Aidman: Managing Partner, Aidman, Piser &Company PA, Tampa

Dean Akers: CEO, Ideal Image Development Corp, Tampa

Lee Arnold: Chairman of the Board and CEO, Arnold Companies, Tampa

Jacob Beckel: Chairman/CEO, Anazao Health Corp., Tampa

Andrew Cohen: President and CEO, Vertical IT Solutions , Tampa

Allen Crumbley: Broker/Owner, Prudential Tropical Realty Residential Services, New Port Richey

A. Gerald Divers: President, Bank of Tampa, Tampa

Geoffrey Dyer: CEO, Lifestyle Family Fitness, St. Petersburg

Carlo Franzblau: President and Founder, Carry a Tune, Tampa

Joy Gendusa: Founder, PostCardMania, Clearwater

Kevin Hourigan: President and CEO, Bayshore Solutions, Tampa

Mark Jones: CEO, Pixel Wizard International Inc., Tampa

Pam Kauten: Founder and President, PEAK Connections Inc., Clearwater

Joshua Kuder: Associate, Florida Capital Partners, Tampa

Ian MacKechnie: Founder and CEO, Amscot, Tampa

William McGill: CEO, MarineMax, Clearwater

J. Patrick Michaels: CEO, Atlantic American Corporate Group, LLC and Com. Equity Associates, LLC, Tampa

Richard Nicholas: CEO, E Solutions, Tampa

Grady Pridgen: Owner, Grady Pridgen Inc., St. Petersburg

David Reed: Director, CapitalSouth Partners, LLC, Tampa

Mark Swanson: Chairman and Chief Tech. Officer, Telovations Inc., Tampa

Ray Weadock: President/CEO, Persystent Technologies, Tampa

Mike Xenick: Senior VP, Atlantic American Capital Advisors, Tampa

Greg Yadley: Chair, Corporate Practice Group, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, Tampa

SARASOTA/MANATEE REGION

Jim Abrams: CEO, Clockwork Home Services, Sarasota

Ron Allen: President, NDC Construction, Bradenton

David Band: Partner, Abel Band Chartered, Sarasota

Reuben Ben-Aire: MadahCom Inc., Sarasota

Randy Benderson: Owner/CEO, Benderson Development, Sarasota

Dr. Mark Broderick: Discovery Technology International, Sarasota

Tom Brown: Co-owner, U.S. Assets, Sarasota

Susan Bryant: Marketing Coordinator, Fawley Bryant Architects Inc, Bradenton

John Cannon: John Cannon Homes, Sarasota

Norbert Donelly: President, Tervis Tumbler Co., Venice

Raj Doraisamy: CEO, Interview USA, Sarasota

Richard Gabriel: President/CEO, DNAPrint Genomics, Sarasota

Nick Generalovich: Presdient, Co-owner, Vanguard Advanced Pharmacy Systems, Bradenton

Doug Goodman: President and CEO, Biolife LLC, Bradenton

Mike Gowan: Co-owner, Gecko's Grill and Pubs, Sarasota

Barry Guarino: CEO, Tempra Technology, Bradenton

Alex Gusev: Ultrafast Systems, Sarasota

Jeff Hazelton: Founder and President, BioLucid, Sarasota

Stephen Heese: President, Chris Craft Corp., Sarasota

Steve Herrig, CEO, Progressive Employer Services, Sarasota

Brett Hutchens: President, Casto Lifestyle Properties, Sarasota

Mark Kaufman: Developer/Owner, Sarasota Commercial Management, Sarasota

Michael Luciano: President,owner, Peach's Inc., Bradenton

Jesse Lynn: President, Circle L Roofing, Sarasota/Bradenton

Frank Maggio: CEO, Erin Media, Bradenton

Paul Mattison: Owner/CEO, Mattison's, Sarasota

Michael Miller: Waterford Companies, Venice

Dave Minton: owner, Bosshardt Realty, Sarasota/Ellenton

Tim Morris: Principal, Corvus International and Bluewater Development and Construction, Sarasota

Charles Murray: CEO, PPI Technologies, Sarasota

Dr. Gene Myers: Founder and President, AutoMedicWorks, Sarasota

Judith Nickse: President and CEO, New England Machinery, Bradenton

Louis Oberndorf: President/CEO, METI, Sarasota

N.J. Olivieri: President, Horizon Mortgage Corp, Sarasota

Julian Parry: Founder/CEO Fun Friends, Sarasota

Kenneth Pendery: First watch Restaurants Inc., Bradenton

Mike Quillen: Co-owner, Gecko's Grill and Pubs, Sarasota

Michael Saunders: Michael Saunders & Co., Sarasota

Helen/Scott Sosso: Prudential Palms Realty, Sarasota

Dr. Thomas Sweeney: CEO, Southeastern Spine Center, Sarasota

Jay Tallman: Co-owner, U.S. Assets, Sarasota

Hasit Vibhakar: Chairman, CEO and President, Telesis, Palmetto

Britt Williams: CEO, President, Bruce Williams homes, Bradenton

John Williams: President, Gould &Lamb LLC, Bradenton

LEE/COLLIER/CHARLOTTE REGION

Jack Antaramian: Developer, Naples

John Biffar: Owner, Dreamtime Entertainment, Cape Coral

Joseph Bonora: CEO, Joseph Scott Financial, Fort Myers

Joseph Cameratta: Founder and President, Cameratta Properties, Fort Myers

Steven Camposano: President, High Velocity, Naples

Daniel Dodrill: President, Daniel Wayne Homes, Fort Myers

Daniel Dosoretz: President, CEO and Director, Radiation Therapy Services, Fort Myers

Scott Edmunds: President and CEO, Chico's, Fort Myers

Ron Elias: Founder, Elias Bros, Naples

Scott Fischer: Owner, Motorsports Management Inc., Fort Myers

Robert Gasparini: President and Chief Science Officer, Neogenomics, Fort Myers

Todd Gates: Gates McVey, Naples

Dennis Gilkey: President/CEO, Bonita Bay Group, Bonita Springs

Chris Karakosta: Owner, Mel's Diner, Bonita Springs

Syd Kitson: Developer of Babcock Ranch, Naples

Robert Long: Owner, Marine Concepts, Cape Coral

Norman Love: Owner, Norman Love Confections, Fort Myers

John McGarvey: Owner, McGarvey Development, Bonita Springs

Michael Peel: Co-owner, Gulfstream Homes, Naples

Steve Peel: Co-owner, Gulfstream Homes, Naples

Jimmy Pepper: Jimmy Ps Butcher Shop & Deli, Naples

Fred Pezeshkan: Kraft Construction, Naples

Brian Stock: CEO, Stock Development, Naples

Gary Trippe: CEO, Oswald Trippe & Co, Fort Myers

Joseph Vumbacco: CEO, Health Management (HMA), Naples

Jerry Williams: Chairman/CEO, Orion Bancorp, Inc., Naples

Vincent Wolanin: Owner, Private Sky Aviation Services, Fort Myers