Foundation Awards 2016

Lawrence Business Magazine & Cadre Lawrence Foundation Awards

| 2016 Q1 | photos by PATRICK CONNER

On Feb. 24, the Lawrence Business Magazine and Cadre Lawrence Foundation Awards were celebrated at the Six Mile Chop House in Lawrence.

This year marks the third year Lawrence Business Magazine and Cadre Lawrence have partnered to honor locally owned or franchised for-profit businesses that have been open for at least three years and have shown growth in jobs (at least 20 percent more employees or a total of at least 20 new jobs) within the year.

“The mission of the magazine,” says Ann Frame Hertzog, publisher and editor-in-chief of Lawrence Business Magazine, “is to cover people and businesses making a positive impact on our community, and what better way to show that than to support the Foundation Awards.”

“A key fact is that 80 percent of local job growth is done by existing businesses in a community, not new businesses,” Hertzog says. “And the Lawrence Business Magazine and Cadre Lawrence want to honor those established companies and celebrate their contributions to our local community.”

“Cadre Lawrence was formed in 2013,” says Zak Bolick, cofounder of Cadre Lawrence, and commercial relationship manager of presenting sponsor INTRUST Bank, “with the mission to support and actively promote economic development in Lawrence and Douglas County. We look for opportunities to support job creation, sales and property tax generation, and provide balanced and thoughtful feedback to our elected and appointed officials in that regard.”

It’s not only about adding jobs and opportunities within the community; it’s also about making a commitment to stay local by collaborating with other businesses and buying locally. The Footprint Impact Award recognizes a business that has made a significant community impact by making a conscious business decision to work and interact locally—a business that not only focuses on the growth and success of its company, but also on giving back to the community. This year, Dee Bisel and MinuteMan Press were recognized for its dedication to the Lawrence community.

“We think it is important to not only think about what a business does but how they do business,” Hertzog says. “Businesses committed to impacting our community and creating a local footprint of mutually beneficial relationships. That strengthens our community. Our Local businesses, supporting our local businesses—keeping it local.”

“Tonight, it is all about job creation,” Bolick notes, “and we want to thank the sponsors that support the Foundation Awards and help make this event possible. RD Johnson Excavating, the Chamber, Midwest Concrete Materials, Alpha Roofing, the BTBC, Massage Envy, Pine Landscape Center, AesthetiCare of Lawrence, Bartlett & West and INTRUST Bank. INTRUST has been the presenting sponsor of this event since the beginning of the Foundation Awards in 2014, and I am not certain that this event would be possible without their continued partnership and support.”

Patrick Alderdice, President, CEO of Pennington & Company

The guest speaker for the evening was Patrick Alderdice, President, CEO, and owner of Pennington & Company. A local company and former Foundation Award recipient, Pennington & Company has been in business 22 years and has raised more than $494 million (more than all of its competitors combined) for clients representing 62 national and international Greek-letter organizations on 126 campuses across the United States. Alderdice shared his unique outlook on life and business, and how personal dreams and goals can help you achieve business success.

“Congratulations to all the 2015 Foundation Award recipients. This year, we recognized the growth of 10 businesses in Lawrence adding jobs in our community,” Bolick said during the ceremony. “In three short years, the Foundation Awards has recognized 36 local businesses and celebrated more than 264 jobs they have added to Lawrence and Douglas County. Their work and dedication are examples of the strength and importance of our small business sector.”

2016 Foundation Award Winners

Bridge Haven Memory Care

Bridge Haven Memory Care
Bridge Haven Memory Care, LLC, operates four intimate, home-style assisted-living facilities all located in Lawrence. Local owner Robert Wilson opened the first Bridge Haven home in 2007 and has added three more during the past five years. Providing individualized nursing care and comfort for eight, 10 or 12 residents, Bridge Haven has the highest staff-to-resident ratio available. More than a business, Bridge Haven has a deep and honored mission: “We never forget the individual within.” Bridge Haven employs 59 individuals and added 21 new jobs to the market in 2015.

Design Brilliance

Design Brilliance
Design Brilliance is a full-service marketing and design firm with clients regionally and nationally. Daryl Bugner and her team work with more than 20 active clients and continue to grow their portfolio at a rapid pace. Design Brilliance specializes in branding, web design, social media management, campaign development, public relations and more. It started just three years ago and doubled its workforce in 2015, going from two employees to four. Design Brilliance is located in the Cider Gallery in the Warehouse Arts District of east Lawrence.

Express Employment Professionals

Express Employment Professionals
Express Employment Professionals is locally owned and franchised by Kate Blocker and Barry Kingery. Since purchasing the Express franchise in 2010, Express Employment has increased revenue by 85%. In addition to this, Express Employment has put hundreds upon hundreds of people to work each year in the Lawrence community, from temporary positions to professional placements in all sectors of business. From a corporate standpoint, Express takes pride in being the No. 1 privately held staffing company in North America. Locally, Barry and Kate are passionate about being servant local business owners, taking part in community events and serving on several boards of directors. In 2015, Express Employment doubled its workforce, adding two new employees and bringing its total local workforce to four.

Good Energy Solutions

Good Energy Solutions
Good Energy Solutions is a full-service energy partner that is able to provide comprehensive consulting and services in electrical, renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy management in the central U.S. Founded in 2007, Good Energy Solutions has earned a reputation of reliable service, expertise and quality through commercial and residential installations of solar and wind. Good Energy Solutions is “Energy with Integrity.” The company has benefited from the boom in the solar industry. According to the Solar Foundation and the 2015 National Solar Jobs Census in the US:
1) Solar jobs have seen a 123% growth over the last five years.
2) Solar industry employment grew 12 times faster than the overall U.S. workforce.
3) Solar employers anticipate adding 30,000 more workers in 2016, an increase of 14.6%.
Now, if you were at last year’s Foundation Awards, this company’s name may seem familiar to you. Good Energy Solutions was also a recipient of the 2015 Foundation Award, making this company the first repeat Foundation Award winner. The company continues to help its customers reduce energy use and energy costs through energy audits, energy efficiencies and energy management. In addition, it provides custom design and installation of clean renewable energy solutions including solar, wind and solar/wind hybrid systems. It also has an electrical division headed by a master electrician capable of any and all electrical service, from small home repair to large commercial installations.
In 2015, Good Energy Solutions added 20% in new employment and today employs 22 people.

Home Instead Senior Care

Home Instead Senior Care
Home Instead Senior Care is recognized as a trusted source of in-home, nonmedical care for seniors. Whether you need someone to help a loved one for just a few hours per week, or if you need more comprehensive 24-hour assistance, Home Instead is equipped to help. Its caregivers are thoroughly screened, extensively trained, bonded and insured, and they are professional, reliable, dependable and matched to clients’ preferences. In addition, this company understands the importance of your home, recognizing the comfort and confidence you enjoy in living in your own home. In 2015, Home Instead employed 13 new people and today has 74 employees.

Minuteman Press – FOOTPRINT AWARD WINNER

Minuteman Press
Minuteman Press is in the business of helping businesses communicate with their customers. It builds business by helping you build yours. Minuteman Press was voted Lawrence’s Best Printer in 2014 and has also been designated Kansas’ first Sustainable Green Printer (SGP). Minuteman Press has been in business for 23 years in Lawrence and understands the importance of building relationships. It can be your partner for excellent graphic design, quality green printing, direct mail, banners, promotional products and marketing. In 2015, Minuteman Press added 20% new employment in Lawrence, with seven employees currently working in its shop.

Rainbow International Restoration of NE Kansas

Rainbow International Restoration of NE Kansas
Rainbow International is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week emergency services company that specializes in water, fire, smoke and mold damage mitigation and reconstruction. It helps residential and commercial property owners restore their properties to pre-loss condition as quickly as possible after a devastating event. The company operates in Lawrence, Topeka, Eudora, Baldwin City and the surrounding communities. Rainbow International works closely with its customers’ insurance adjusters to ensure the property and contents are restored quickly in an effort to keep claim costs to a minimum. In 2015, Rainbow International added two new employees, bringing the company’s employment to seven.

RD Johnson Excavating

RD Johnson Excavating
If you get out much, you have likely seen RD Johnson Excavating trucks and heavy equipment moving dirt in and around Lawrence and Douglas County. This business, which started with a truck and a backhoe in 1980, now employs 76 employees in the community. Its time and material division serves smaller customers, and the bid job division serves larger customers like the University of Kansas and the City of Lawrence. The coverage area is generally a 30- to 40-mile radius around the city of Lawrence. In 2015, the company added 26 new employees to meet recent demand.

Select One Security & Communications

Select One Security & Communications
Select One Security is a low-voltage security alarm company that provides 24-hour monitored alarm service for burglary and fire systems. In addition, it offers services that include access control, high-definition surveillance cameras, residential and commercial audio/video, structured wiring and networking (including WIFI), gate systems and central vacuum systems. With its purchase of Overfield Security, the company continues to grow and has a bright future as it expands the market from Lawrence to the greater Kansas City area and Topeka. Select One had tremendous employee growth in 2015, going from just two to seven employees, creating five new jobs.

Summers, Spencer, & Company

Summers, Spencer, & Company
When you look at SS&C, you will see it is not your typical CPA firm. It goes much deeper to help clients prosper today while strengthening plans for tomorrow. SS&C prides itself on being small enough to offer highly personalized service but also large enough to offer unmatched versatility and expertise. The SS&C family of companies’ history goes back to 1984 and is comprised of Summers, Spencer & Company, P.A., certified public accountants (CPAs), SS&C Solutions Inc., an employee-owned business services firm, and SS&C Wealth Management Group, LLC. SS&C goes beyond tax planning, filling out forms and auditing. It advises clients about their current financial situation and prepares them for a better future, helping them retain more of their earnings along the way. As the first CPA firm to become employee-owned, it has a uniquely vested interest in providing clients with remarkable service, operating without internal barriers. This enables the company to tailor its collective talents to meet clients’ unique needs. SS&C continually embraces the latest technologies for the security and convenience of clients, and its secure private client portals allow clients a convenient means to share files and exchange information electronically. SS&C employs 65 people, with 18 of those in Lawrence. In 2015, it added 21 new jobs, six here in Lawrence.

Thank You to The Sponsors