2024 Ovation Awards

 

 

Kenosha County is home to many notable and successful companies and business people. The Ovation Awards, presented annually by the Kenosha Area Business Alliance, recognizes the best of the best – companies and individuals that have exhibited a history of growth, innovation, and a positive overall impact on the community.

The Ovation Awards has moved to a new time of the year: this year’s event will be held February 8, 2024.  Registration is now open at the link below!

KABA would like to congratulate the 2024 Ovation Award winners! Read the announcement from BizTimes Milwaukee  here.

 

Business of the Year: Niagara Bottling, LLC

Small Business of the Year: Blue House Books

Entrepreneur of the Year: Keith Smith, Vonco Products

Forward Awards:

Centrisys/CNP
HARIBO
Kenosha Common Markets
Kenosha Community Health Center
The Shalom Center of the Interfaith Network

 

See photos from past events at the KABA Facebook page.  Video tributes of the 2022 and past award winners are available below or at the KABA YouTube channel.

Please register by Wednesday, January 31st at the link below. Questions? Contact KABA at 262.605.1100.

REGISTER

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

Past Ovation Award Winners

 

 

(The awards were moved to February beginning in 2024; there was no event held in 2023.)

 

2022

Business of the Year: Heartland Produce Co.

Small Business of the Year: Finishing & Plating Service, Inc.

Entrepreneur of the Year: Mariam S. Darsot, Nexus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Forward Awards:

  • Herzing University
  • Kenosha Creative Space
  • Kutzler Express
  • Landquest Realty
  • Liftpro LLC

 

2019

Business of the Year: Catalyst Exhibits

Small Business of the Year: Kitchen Cubes

Entrepreneur of the Year: Michael Thompson, Fair Oaks Foods

Forward Awards:

  • Advocate Aurora Health
  • Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha
  • Kenosha County 
  • MTI, A Steel Partners Company
  • University of Wisconsin – Parkside

 

2018

Business of the Year: Good Foods Group

Small Business of the Year: Chiappetta Shoes

Entrepreneur of the Year: Crystal Miller, Frontida Assisted Living

Forward Awards:

  • Clark Dietz
  • Five Star Fabricating
  • Froedtert South
  • Gateway Technical College for the Gateway Promise

 

2017

Business of the Year: Kenall Manufacturing

Small Business of the Year: Kenosha Kingfish Baseball Club

Entrepreneur of the Year: S.R. Mills, Bear Real Estate Group

Fast Five:

  • Frontida Assisted Living, Inc.
  • MTI
  • Otto Nelson Moving & Storage
  • Puratos Corporation
  • Vonco Products, LLC

 

2016

Business of the Year: Uline

Small Business of the Year: Partners in Design Architects, LLC

Entrepreneur of the Year: Bob Lee, Jr., CEO, Lee Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric

Fast Five:

  • Bone Dry Products
  • Cordeck
  • Leeward Business Advisors
  • MedTorque
  • Regulatory Compliance

 

2015

Business of the Year: ASYST Technologies, LLC

Small Business of the Year: Specialized Accounting Services, LLC

Entrepreneur of the Year: Kurt Penn, Good Foods Group, LLC

Fast Five:

  • Hanna Cylinders, LLC
  • Kenall Manufacturing
  • Kenosha Kingfish Baseball Club
  • Mobile One / McTernan Wireless
  • Quest Products, Inc.

 

2014

Business of the Year: Bradshaw Medical, Inc.

Small Business of the Year: OFFSITE, LLC

Entrepreneur of the Year: Edward Polen, EMCO Chemical, Inc.

Fast Five:

  • The Blast Shop
  • LaMacchia Travel
  • Mike’s Restaurant Group
  • Platinum Systems
  • Yutka Fence

 

2013

Business of the Year: Rust-Oleum Corporation

Small Business of the Year: Equity Creative

Entrepreneur of the Year: Michael Kopper, Centrisys Corporation

Fast Five:

  • ASYST Technologies, Inc.
  • Catalyst Exhibits, Inc.
  • Clean & Green Solutions, LLC
  • Dooley & Associates, LLC
  • IRIS USA, Inc

 

2012

Business of the Year: Allied Plastics, Inc.

Small Business of the Year: Tenuta’s Deli, Liquor & Wines

Entrepreneur of the Year: James A. Kettinger, Sr., Engendren Corporation

Fast Five:

  • Albany-Chicago Co, LLC
  • Bio Fab Technologies, Inc.
  • Kitchen Cubes LLC
  • Mikrotech, LLC
  • Specialized Accounting Services LLC

 

2011

Business of the Year: Xten Industries, LLC

Small Business of the Year: GEM Manufacturing, Inc.

Entrepreneur of the Year: Craig Deaton, Gateway Mortgage Corporation

Fast Five:

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

 

Note: the award categories changed slightly after to 2010.

2010

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
2009

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

 

2008

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

 

2007

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

 

2006

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

 

2005

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