NETC and RCIDA Host the "2006 Entrepreneur Day"

By Gary Dotterer
NE Technolgy Center
gdotterer@netechcenters.com

Rogers County recently honored area businesses and companies at the 2006 Entrepreneur Day held at the Claremore Expo building. "Entrepreneur Day" was established six years ago by Rogers County Industrial Development Authority and Northeast Technology Center.

For the last two years RCIDA  and NTC with the help of the area Chamber of Commerce in Catoosa, Chelsea, Claremore, Inola, and Oologah received applications for entrepreneur of the year from various businesses and companies around Rogers County.

The applicants submitted their entries to the chambers in one of three categories: manufacturing, retail, and service. The applicants submitted information about company growth, community support, entrepreneurial achievement, employee labor and benefits, opportunities, risk taking, creativity, and leadership within the community.

Each entry was sent to a panel of judges outside Rogers County for evaluation and was judged on a point system based on each company's answers.

Manufacturing award finalists were Catoosa, Grizzly Mountain Mercantile; Chelsea, Green Country Bio Diesel, Claremore, Hydration Station; and Inola, Abe's Creations. Retail award finalist were; Catoosa, Catoosa Flowers; Chelsea, Finders Keepers; Claremore, ABI Insurance Agency; Inola, M&S Foods; and Oologah, Sammie's Pizzeria.

 Service award finalists were Catoosa, Steve Swann Insurance; Chelsea, Chelsea Reporter; Claremore, Amedisys Home Health Services; Inola, Heartland Florist Supply; and Oologah, Oologah Lake Leader.

This year's 2006 Entrepreneur award winners were Manufacturing, Green Country Bio Diesel from Chelsea; Retail, M and S Foods from Inola, and Service Heartland Florist from Inola. Don Cochran, Project Manager for RCIDA and Rick Reimer, Assistant Superintendent Claremore Campus of NTC presented the winners with a check for $1000 and a Will Rogers Statue.

Entrepreneur Day began with a round table networking event where local businesses were given a 1 1/2 minutes to exchange information with other businessmen seated around a table. After time expired members scrambled to another table and networked with a new group of individuals.

Jack Shultz the CEO of Agracel and the Ernst and Young's 2005 National Entrepreneur of the year was the keynote speaker.  Shultz, an entrepreneur himself, shared the how, the why, the dos, and the don'ts behind the key to building a brighter future. He also is the author of  "Boomtown USA" The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns!

Ms. Gerri Mooney, Counselor, for the State of Oklahoma Workers Compensation Court, spoke about issues on workers compensation, medical and insurance topics, and safety.

A $500 cash prize was won by Oklahoma Aerial for their entry in the scavenger questionnaire game. The event housed 60 booths of area businesses, companies, and industries that showcased there products, goods, and services. Lunch was served by the "Sportstown Smokehouse" from Verdigris.

The "2006 Rogers County Entrepreneur Day" Award Winners. From left to right; Michael Martin, owner of Heartland Florist Supply of Inola, David Allen, co-owner of Green Country Bio Diesel of Chelsea, and Mike Eagleton, owner of M&S Foods of Inola.