The Kenosha Area Business Alliance and the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce are proud to present the 2012 Kenosha County Business Excellence Awards, recognize excellence and achievement in business throughout Kenosha County.

The awards will be presented at an annual dinner hosted by both KABA and the Chamber on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at the University of Wisconsin - Parkside Student Center Ballroom.. Watch for additional details to be available soon.

2011 Business Excellence Awards Dinner Photo Gallery | Sponsorship information

Archive of Business Excellence Award Winners

2011 Business of the Year: Xten industries, Inc.

From 2009 to 2011, Xten added 30 employees at its 78,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Kenosha. In that same span, the company's revenue has climbed by $4.5 million, partly stemming from the development of new products for use in medical waste disposal and appliances.

Xten produces plastic parts, assembled components and sub-assemblies and either integrates them into customer products or drop-ships finished products to end-user locations. Currently the company is producing products ranging from 30-gallon medical waste containers to tiny gears and optical lenses small enough to fit on a fingernail.

2011 Small Business of the Year: GEM Manufacturing, Inc.

The Bristol-based company produces over 2,000 different parts annually for the agriculture, fluid handling, energy, material handling and food processing industries as well as many others, including the military. GEM operates two, 10-hour shifts per day, four days per week and recently eclipsed the 30-employee mark, growing from 18 in 2009 to 34 currently.

Founded in 1974 as Specialty Machining by Mario and Lynne Morrone, brothers Kevin and Rob Gottschalk acquired the company in 2006 and renamed it GEM Manufacturing. Last year, the company's revenue grew by $1.4 million and is projected to grow by another $2.2 million in 2011.

In the beginning of 2011, GEM added a second location, a 10,000-square-foot building in the Business Park of Kenosha, to house its milling operations. The acquisition clears the way for GEM to purchase new equipment and improve operational efficiency.

2011 Entrepreneur of the Year: Craig Deaton, Gateway Mortgage Corporation

Craig Deaton founded Gateway Mortgage in 1983 as a mortgage broker. He has developed the company into a full service mortgage banker with a full-time staff of 23, currently servicing about $335 million in residential first mortgages.

With an emphasis on quality underwriting, Gateway steered clear of subprime mortgages completely and does not originate second liens (HELOCS/second mortgages).

While the company lost substantial market share to other lenders during the housing boom of the early 2000s, today Gateway's loan portfolio has a less than 1% delinquency ratio. In addition, this April the company became a Ginnie Mae-approved servicer and issuer, enabling them to service government-guaranteed FHA and VA loans.

Kenosha's Fast Five:

• Allied Plastics, Inc.
• Equity Creative, Inc.
• Five Star Coatings Group, Inc.
• Offsite, LLC
• RJ Underground, Inc.

2010 KABA/Chamber Combined Program

• Business of the Year: Snap-on Incorporated
• Business Person of the Year: Guy Bradshaw, Bradshaw Medical, Inc.
• Community Service: Matt Carlson, Platinum Systems
• Economic Impact Awards: ACCO Brands, Albany-Chicago Company, Centrisys Corporation, Fair Oaks Farms, United Hospital System
• KABA Volunteer of the Year: Dr. David Wright, UW-Parkside
• Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Janet Edson, HOPE Council

2009 KABA/Chamber Combined Program

• Business of the Year: LMI Packaging Solutions, Inc.
• Business Person of the Year: Todd Bundies, Badger Press Photographics
• Community Service: Peter Valeri, Valeri Agency
• Economic Impact Awards: Dooley & Associates, Gordon Food Service, Uline
• KABA Volunteer of the Year: Patrick DeGrace, Hospira
• Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Melissa Rowley, Platinum Systems

2008 KABA/Chamber Combined Program

• Business of the Year: Kenosha Animal Hospital
• Business Person of the Year: Kenneth A. Moore, Cordeck
• Community Service: Karl J. Ostby, Southport Bank
• Economic Impact Awards: Allied Plastics, Inc., Genesis Medical Center of Kenosha, S.C., Lotus Light Enterprises, Pitts-Valeri Office Complex, Pulera Collision Auto Care Center
• KABA Volunteer of the Year: Thomas Mahoney, Johnson Bank
• Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Carol Lamberson, American Solutions for Business

2007 KABA/Chamber Combined Program

• Business of the Year: Five Star Fabricating, Inc.
• Business Person of the Year: David Trotta Barnes, Barnes Law Office
• Community Service: Thomas Duncan, United Hospital System
• Economic Impact Awards: Bradshaw Medical, Gateway Technical College – Horizon Center, Monarch Plastics, Insty-Prints, Supervalu
• KABA/Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Mary Smith, Kenosha Convention & Visitors Bureau

2006 KABA/Chamber Combined Program

• Business of the Year: Rode's Camera & Photo Supplies
• Business Person of the Year: Dave Hagman, Vista International Packaging
• Community Service: Wayne Koessl, We Energies
• Economic Impact Awards: Kenosha Radiology, Prime Outlets, Riley Propery Management, Roundy's, The Club at Strawberry Creek
• KABA Volunteer of the Year: Mark Jaeger, Jockey International, Inc.
• Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Peter Sinsky, Clifton Gunderson, LLP

2005 KABA/Chamber Combined Program

• Business of the Year: Riley Construction
• Business Person of the Year: Jim Cicchini, Cicchini Asphalt LLC
• Community Service: Ron Stevens, Bank of Elmwood
• Economic Impact Awards: Hospira, Ocean Spray, Pepsi Americas
• KABA Volunteer of the Year: Bob Terwall, Prairie Shores Ltd.
• Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Dave Hagman, Vista International Packaging, LLC