Charlotte Chamber 2005 Entrepreneur Award Winners
9/14/2005
Chamber Honors 2005 Entrepreneur Award Recipients at Gala
More than 700 people were on hand at the Charlotte Chamber’s 22nd Annual Entrepreneur Awards for the unveiling of this year’s recipients. The gala, held September 14 at the Westin Hotel, honored entrepreneurs who have dared to dream big and turned those dreams into reality.
The record crowd was the largest in the 22-year history of the awards ceremony, with nominees that read like a Who’s Who of the Charlotte business community.
This year’s honorees recognized for their outstanding achievements are:
Trailblazer Award: Mike & Tana Greene, StrataForce
StrataForce is a staffing firm that is setting a new standard for others in the industry. The company works with organizations that realize the benefits of using a contingent workforce to achieve peak performance in today’s rapidly changing marketplace. The company uses proven systems to structure, implement and manage programs that efficiently blend the contingent and fulltime. StrataForce experienced significant growth over the past year, doubling both revenue and its workforce, while pursuing a vision of intelligent cultural integration. The Greenes owned the number one staffing franchise of a national staffing firm for 15 years before launching the StrataForce venture.
1 – 10 Employees: Melissa Swanson, Occasions Catering
Occasions Catering and Event Planning is a full service, off-premise catering company that relies heavily on the corporate market. Community involvement, learning from mistakes, and continuously striving for excellence are the three foundations of this company. The company’s tagline, “Excellence in Hospitality,” says it all. Swanson has hired a team of hospitality experts that goes above and beyond for clients, whether it’s a large wedding or a last minute boxed lunch for a corporate meeting.
11 – 35 Employees: C. Rudy Alexander, The Elevator Channel, Inc.
The Elevator Channel is an advertising and communications company that broadcasts over a proprietary, secure network of flat panel, high resolution digital display screens located in the elevator cabs of commercial office space buildings. By founding a company that has a can-do culture and that uses creative problem solving daily, Alexander has created an environment where challenges are truly embraced as team members join forces – often across departments – to resolve issues.
36 – 150 Employees: John Owens, Ameritrust Mortgage, LLC
Ameritrust Mortgage is a privately held mortgage lender that offers the latest in nonconforming mortgage products. The company prides itself on exceptional customer service, accuracy and speed when closing loans. John Owens founded the company with the goal of providing a family friendly culture with firm principles for all employees to follow. The core values are: CHIPP – Customer Obsession, High Trust, Integrity, Passion and Personal Growth. The company just celebrated its 10th anniversary in March and is licensed in 34 states and has 144 employees.
