Le Bleu and Nature’s Pearl Founder Wins Top 50 Entrepreneurs’ Award

Feb. 26, 2010 - PRLog -- Business Leader Media has chosen Jerry W. Smith as one of the Top 50 Entrepreneurs in the Piedmont Triad. Smith is founder and CEO of Le Bleu Corporation and Nature’s Pearl Corporation headquartered in Advance. Business Leader Media recognized Smith as one of the Top 50 Entrepreneurs at an awards’ ceremony February 24, 2010, in Greensboro. Winners will also be featured in the March, 2010, issue of “Business Leader” magazine.
“Jerry is the personification of an entrepreneur,” said Gene Hoots, Chairman Emeritus of CornerCap Investment Counsel in Atlanta, Georgia. “I knew how difficult the bottled water business and consumer products were to get off the ground. Jerry has been a tremendous success.”
Jerry W. Smith founded Le Bleu Corporation in 1990, one of the forerunners of manufacturing and distributing bottled water. Le Bleu Ultra Pure Water is now nationally distributed through major grocery chains, health stores and drug retailers. Le Bleu products are sold internationally in two dozen countries around the world; and are valued for the patent-pending, five-step purification process that all Le Bleu Ultra Pure Water undergoes.
Jerry W. Smith demonstrated his motto of “helping people help others” during the recent disaster following the earthquake in Haiti. Le Bleu Corporation donated 21,672 bottles of Le Bleu’s Ultra Pure Water to Global Medical Outreach to take to Haiti, along with almost 20,000 bottles sent previously to Haiti through Operation Compassion.
In 2005, Smith founded Nature’s Pearl Corporation, which has also grown into an international multimillion-dollar business. Nature’s Pearl has completed the first double-blind, placebo-controlled, human clinical trial researching Nature’s Pearl efficacy on cardiovascular function (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01011517?term=m...). Nature’s Pearl is also the only muscadine supplement company to fund in vitro cancer studies on “The Effect of Muscadine Grape Seed and Grape Skin Extract on the Growth of Human Cancer Cells” at a major medical university (www.naturespearlproducts.com).  
Jeff Weigele, a Wilmington, N. C., water industry professional, expressed admiration for Smith’s accomplishments. “Jerry has the reputation of being an ethical, honest man. Every time I talk to him, I see in his eyes the vision for the future.”

About Le Bleu Corporation:
Le Bleu Corporation, established in 1990, uses a unique patent-pending process to produce the purest and best tasting water in the world. Le Bleu’s five-step purification process eliminates the inorganic minerals and chemicals that may be present in other waters. Le Bleu offers 5-gallon delivery service to over 65,000 residential, business and industrial customers throughout North and South Carolina, southern Virginia and eastern Tennessee. Le Bleu Ultra Pure Water is distributed nationally through major grocery chains, natural health stores, food service distributors and drug retailers. International distribution of Le Bleu extends into two dozen countries, including: United Arab Emirates; Iraq; Egypt; Oman; Saudi Arabia; Pakistan; India; Yemen; Qatar; Kuwait; Jordan; Turkey; Afghanistan; Lebanon; Bangladesh; Japan; Curaçao; The Bahamas; West Indies; The Cayman Islands; British West Indies; US Virgin Islands; British Virgin Islands; and Bermuda. Doctors and nutritionists worldwide recommend Le Bleu Ultra Pure steam-distilled bottled water for its purity and taste. Le Bleu was chosen “Best Non-Alcoholic Beverage in the Western Hemisphere” at the V Americas Food and Beverage Trade Show. Le Bleu received the “Best in Cold Beverages” Peoples’ Choice Award from the National Nutritional Foods Association; and has been listed in Beverage Industry’s “Top 100 Beverage Companies“ since 2005 (www.lebleu.com).
About Nature’s Pearl Corporation:
Nature’s Pearl Corporation, founded in 2005 in Advance, N.C., is a leader in the muscadine grape seed nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries, offering consumers worldwide high quality muscadine grape seed-based products.  In addition to Nature’s Pearl™ Premium Muscadine Grape Seed Supplement, the company has developed Natures Pearl Muscadine 20 Antioxidant Skin Care™, including Ultra Rich Lotion, Skin Renewal Serum, Rejuvenating Skin Polish, Soothing Relief Spray, and Gentle Foaming Cleanser. Nature’s Pearl also produces 100% All-Natural Muscadine Grape Juice.  President and CEO Jerry W. Smith, founder of Le Bleu Corporation, established Nature’s Pearl after two years of research with muscadine grape growers and scientists. Nature’s Pearl has completed the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover human clinical trial researching Nature’s Pearl efficacy on cardiovascular function (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01011517?term=muscadine+grape&rank=1).
 Nature’s Pearl is also the only muscadine supplement company to fund in vitro cancer studies  on “The Effect of Muscadine Grape Seed and Grape Skin Extract on the Growth of Human Cancer Cells” at a major medical university. (www.naturespearlproducts.com).

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Nature's Pearl and Le Bleu Corporations are two separate companies founded by Jerry W. Smith in Advance, N. C. Le Bleu Ultra Pure Water is distributed internationally. Nature's Pearl Premium Muscadine Grape Seed products are sold through distributors.