Missouri entrepreneurship and innovation to be honored Jan. 30-31 in Jefferson City

Jan. 16, 2013 - PRLog -- University of Missouri

Business Development Program

W1025 Lafferre Hall

MU College of Engineering

Columbia, MO  65211

573/882-1353

paulsellm@Missouri.edu (mailto:summersm@missouri.edu)

University of Missouri

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Missouri entrepreneurship and innovation to be honored Jan. 30-31 in Jefferson City

Twenty-two outstanding small Missouri businesses will be honored at an awards banquet Jan. 30 in Jefferson City.

The event, sponsored by the statewide network of Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Centers (http://www.missouribusiness.net/sbtdc/index.asp) (MO SBTDC), the Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (http://www.missouribusiness.net/ptac/index.asp) (MO PTAC) and the Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TAAC), highlights the achievements of the programs’ top performing clients.

The annual awards recognize outstanding achievement in business management, government contracting, job creation and revenue generation. Each Excellence in Business Award winner will also receive legislative resolutions from their respective state senators and representatives honoring the impact of their enterprises on the economic development of the state.

"Missouri's small businesses are the engine of economic growth in the state," said Max Summers, interim director of the University of Missouri Extension's Business Development Program (http://www.missouribusiness.net/index.asp), who administratively oversees the three programs. "These business owners work hard every day, and the awards recognize their success.”

Some of these businesses are technology-oriented and in the early stages of developing cutting-edge products. All have received expert assistance from MO SBTDC, MO PTAC or TAAC counselors which enabled them to start, expand or transform their enterprises.

The Missouri businesses to be honored are:

·   C&M Contractors, Inc., Doniphan, general contractors

·   Eco-Recovery, LLC, West Plains, a document-shredding service employing special-needs adults

Fumatore di Sigaro, Cape Girardeau, a premier cigar shop and lounge
Furniture Rescue, Joplin, furniture repair, restoration and warranty work
Giant Model Products, Lathrop, distributor of radio-controlled airplanes and parts
Green Field Energy Group, Inc. dba Mid-America Facility Solutions, Lone Jack, a full-service construction management, facility services and maintenance firm
Habitata Building Products, LLC dba Halcyon Shades, St. Louis, manufacturer of energy-efficient shades brought back from Mexico to a St. Louis urban renewal zone
Henson Enterprises, Inc. West Plains, heavy equipment services and design engineering, production manufacturing and computer-aided drafting

·     Hufft Projects, LLC, Kansas City, world-renowned architectural and design firm

Joplin 3D4D Imaging Center, LLC, Joplin, provides state-of-the-art ultrasound three-dimensional imaging and four-dimensional, real-time session recordings

·    Kemper Redevelopment Project, Boonville, an imaginative repurposing of the closed Kemper Military School to include the new State Fair Community College-Boonville

Lawrence Fabric & Metal Structures, Inc., St. Louis, manufacturer of awnings, canopies, tension structures, exhibit components and banners
Logboat Brewing Company LLC, Columbia, poised to be the only full-scale craft brewery in mid-Missouri
Magic Touch Cleaning, Inc., Lee’s Summit, an environmentally friendly cleaning products and practices pioneer
Mark Hall Cabinetry, Inc., Columbia, unique kitchen and bathroom cabinets, bookshelves, offices, commercial offices and spaces
Mark Twain Cave, Inc., Hannibal, Missouri’s oldest show cave, now a complex that includes a campground, winery and haunted cave tours
Milbank Manufacturing Co., Kansas City, electrical manufacturer commanding a large percentage of the U.S. market
Prier Products, Inc., Grandview, global manufacturer of brass plumbing valves
Rockridge Group, LLC, Springfield, e-retailer of four unique gift catalogs
Silverlight Marketing Group, Moberly, a union of two marketing firms
Vazquez Commercial Contracting, LLC, Kansas City, general construction and services company
The Wilson Group, Inc., Greenwood, a multi-faceted provider of construction services.

For more information about the award winners, banquet or the SBTDC, please contact Mary Paulsell, director, strategic initiatives and communication, Business Development Program, at 573/882-1353 or paulsellm@missouri.edu.