Click here to register online for the 2012 EIEA awards luncheon. For more information on the regional awards presentation and luncheon, contact The Center for Rural Development at 606-677-6000.
U.S. Congressman Harold "Hal" Rogers (KY-05)
U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) is scheduled to be the special guest speaker at the 2012 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards (EIEA) program on Monday, Sept. 10, at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset.
Rogers has been invited to deliver the keynote address at the regional awards program and luncheon, set to begin at 11:30 a.m., which will celebrate the success and accomplishments of some of the region’s top small business owners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations in Eastern and Southern Kentucky.
The top three finalists in each of the five EIEA award categories will be publicly recognized with a short video profile that will air during the luncheon. The program will culminate with the announcement of the award recipients and on-stage award presentations by EIEA sponsoring partners.
The 2012 EIEA award finalists and their respective business categories are:
For-Profit Business
Bob and Tom Hutchison, McDonald’s of East Kentucky, Paintsville, Ky.; Anthony and Julie Roberts, Owners, Servpro of Pulaski and Laurel counties, London, Ky.; and Masato Sugimura, Lincoln Manufacturing USA, LLC, Stanford, Ky.
For-Profit Small Business
Jeff Parmelee PT and Terry Randall PT, Total Rehab Center, Somerset, Ky.; Shane Baker and Dr. Patrick Heist, Owners, Ferm Solutions, Inc., Danville, Ky.; and Sarah Culbreth and Jeff Enge, Owners/Potters, Tater Knob Pottery, Berea, Ky.
Start-Up Business
Nick Noble and Nate Noble, Park Mammoth Resort, Park City, Ky.; Scott Maddux and Shane Richmond, Wildcat Harley-Davidson, London, Ky.; and Troy Lay, Daniel Tolson, and Michael Carpenter, Owners, Alternative Energies Kentucky, LLC, Danville, Ky.
Not-For-Profit Entity
Bobby W. Grant, President and CVO, Twin Lakes Family Wellness Center, Albany, Ky.; Jeff Rubin, Executive Director, and Jerry K. Palmer, PhD., Board Secretary, Body Recall Inc., Berea, Ky.; and Grace Community Health Center, Gray, Ky.
Young Entrepreneur
Jared Sizemore, Owner, Juggling Jared, Pineville, Ky.; Todd Duff, Owner, LowGap Outfitters, LLC, Hindman, Ky.; and Hong R. Zhang Durandal, Owner, and Peter H. Hackbert, Mentor, Energy Hunters LLC, Berea, Ky.
Other honorees to be recognized at the EIEA awards luncheon are 2012 Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (ELI) first-place winning team members and high school students Savanna Noe, Lee County; Rachyl Harmon, Clay County; Ethan Call, Pulaski County; Madison Lee, Casey County; and Kimberly Brown, of Knox County; and 2012 Collegiate Business Concept Challenge winner and Eastern Kentucky University student Betitala Sinda Mbala and her business advisor Dr. Weiling Zhuang.
The EIEA program—celebrating excellence since 2001—is sponsored by Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) College of Business and Technology, Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation, Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED), and The Center for Rural Development.
Contributing partners include A T & T, Forcht Bank of Kentucky, and Forcht Group of Kentucky, Gold Level Sponsors; Outdoor Venture Corp., Silver Level Sponsor; EKU ICC, Schafer’s Catering, and Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, Bronze Level Sponsors; and Appalachian Development Alliance, Citizens Guaranty Bank, EKU Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, Five Talents Financial Group, Richmond Chamber of Commerce, and Rockcastle County Chamber of Commerce, Friends Level Sponsors.
