Exceptional

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Special Edition Entrepreneurship + Innovation = Growth

November 2013

Hamid Moghadam
Prologis

Location,
location,
location
If location drives success
in real estate, Hamid Moghadam
believes there’s also a case
to be made for timing.
Founded and produced by

Nationally sponsored by
 Salute to vision and commitment
Each year, we gather in Palm Springs to celebrate the achievements
of great entrepreneurs — the people who are the lifeblood of the
US economy. In good times and bad, entrepreneurs are the people
who create jobs and spur economic growth.
BmkllYc]YdggcYll`]egj]l`Yf.-(ÕfYdaklk^gjl`]
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ — the kind of high-impact entrepreneurs
who are the main drivers of new jobs in the US. In the past two years,
gmjÕfYdaklkhgkl]\YffmYde]\aYfkYd]k_jgol`g^YZgml+(Yf\
annual median headcount growth
g^YZgml*-&
How do they grow in such uncertain
economic times? How do they
outperform? By building great teams,
embracing innovation and seizing
opportunities as they arise.
The panels of independent judges
Herb Engert Bryan Pearce o`gk]d][l]\l`akq]YjÌkÕfYdaklkYf\
EY Americas Americas Director
Strategic Growth Markets EY Entrepreneur Of The
winners used a balanced scorecard
Leader Year and Venture Capital l`Yl[gfka\]jkj]n]fm]$hjgÕlYf\
Advisory Group
employment growth. The panels also
review the entrepreneurs’ overall careers, their approach to innovation
Exceptional and the future, their commitment to building a strong team and
Americas Director sustainable business, and their enthusiasm for giving back.
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year
Cover photography Jonathan Gayman / Jonathan Gayman Photography

and Venture Capital Advisory Group It has been our privilege to witness this successful combination
Bryan Pearce time and again in our work with leading entrepreneurs in the US and
Americas Manager Wendy Fox
around the world. Their vision and commitment to building innovative,
Editorial Director Marina Paulus
Managing Editor Amy Koeppl
high-impact enterprises help to create jobs, generate wealth for their
Contributing Writers Rachel Buck, teams and investors, and enrich their communities. We welcome this
Edward J. Defort, Jennifer Golson, year’s winners into an exclusive community and encourage them to
Doug Milbrodt, Roger Morton,
Richard Osborne, Lindsey Siegle stay connected with one another and build additional relationships with
Copy Editors Amy Koeppl, Kevin Daniels fellow high-growth entrepreneurs through the Winners Network and
Creative Director Tonya Boldt
other alumni activities.
Lead Designer William Mengle
Picture Editors Simon Weinstein, Helen Oller
L`YlnakagfYf\[geeale]flak]p]ehdaÕ]\afl`akq]YjÌkoaff]j$
Exceptional Special Edition is printed in Hamid Moghadam of Prologis. Entrepreneurship is embedded in this
the US by Shapco Printing. af\mkljaYddg_akla[kj]Yd]klYl]ÕjeÌk<F9Zq\]ka_f&@Yea\[j]Yl]\Y
For EY
decentralized structure that allows his company to combine a global
Americas Director, Marketing and
Communications, Strategic Growth Markets reach with a strong local presence — and to give back to communities
Lisa Schiffman
all over the world.
For this special edition or regularly published
issues of Exceptional, contact Lisa Schiffman at
Lg_]l`]joal`gmjkhgfkgjk$K9H9e]ja[YYf\l`]CYm^^eYf
lisa.schiffman@ey.com or +1 215 448 5596. >gmf\Ylagf$=QkYdml]kgmj]flaj];dYkkg^*()+&Qgmj]^^gjlYf\qgmj
vision are key to building a better working world.

Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 1

 Contents 08

National categories

08 Real Estate,
Construction
and Lodging
22 Energy, Cleantech
and Natural Resources
 Dr. Peter M. Duncan,
34 Life Sciences
Francois Nader, MD,

NPS Pharmaceuticals
MicroSeismic, Inc. Michael W. Bonney,
 Hamid Moghadam, Prologis Cubist Pharmaceuticals
<Yna\<&<mfdYh$
<Yna\J&?YZgmjq$L]jjY[gf EYjc<gm_dYk>ak[`]j%;gdZja]
Superior Energy Services
Steve V. Pate, Strike, LLC Yf\Ja[`=ddkgf$DYZ[ql]Af[&
?d]ff?YjdYf\Yf\BaeKlaee]d$
Jay H. Shah and Neil H. Shah, ;D=9J]kmdl
@]jk`Y?jgmh

38 Media, Entertainment
H`adJqc`g]c$
<]fZmjqJ]kgmj[]kAf[&

14 Distribution and
Manufacturing
 Paul W. Jones,
A. O. Smith Corporation
9f\jYJmk`$
L`]Jmk`?jgmh
<j&B&DYjjqKYf\]jk$
26 Family Business
Award of Excellence
and Communications
 Tom Bedecarré, AKQA
<Yfa]d;Yjmkg$RYqg?jgmh
<gfYd\K&>j]]eYf$
 David Jaffe, Carrie Freeman Parsons and
Ascena Retail Group, Inc. Joe Popolo, Freeman
<Yna\Egjc]f$:Yf\oa\l`
;`Y\?jake]jYf\C]ddq?jake]j$
L`]O`]Yl?jgmhAf[&

42
Specialty Fertilizer
C]ff]l`Dg^lgfJgZakgf$
Products, LLC
Crest Industries, LLC Retail and
?YjqE&K[`mkl]j$GE;G
JgZ]jlA&MfYfm]$?gqY>gg\k Consumer Products
 Nick Woodman, GoPro

18 Emerging
 Will Dean, Tough Mudder
Paul Capriolo,
Kg[aYd?jgol`
30 Financial Services
Harris H. Simmons,

Zions Bancorporation
<Yfa]dDmZ]lrcq$
CAF<@]Ydl`qKfY[ck
<Yna\E&Kgcgdkcq$<Yakq:jYf\
Jim Weber, Brooks Sports, Inc.
JgZ]jl;Yjj$
Technologies, Inc.
Heartland Payment Systems
C]nafHdmeZYf\
9ff]ll];Ylafg$ImYd;Yj]$Af[&
Jeffrey Smith,
Ingram Medical J]fYm\DYhdYf[`]$D]f\af_;dmZ
Naomi Whittel,
J]k]jn]Y_]Gj_Yfa[k

2 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013

 22 46 54

Recognition Extras

46 Services
Spencer Rascoff,

Zillow, Inc.
04 National
judging panel
Meet the independent judges
06
Honoring those
who are breaking
convention
Janice Bryant Howroyd, who selected this year’s
9Zja]^`aklgjqg^l`]
9;L%)?jgmh$Af[& gravity-defying entrepreneurs
EY Entrepreneur Of
Stephen Mooney, The Year™ US Program
Conifer Health Solutions
LgfqEa[`Y]dJa__k$
Jack Cooper Holdings 60 EY World
Entrepreneur
Of The Year™ 2013
58 EY Entrepreneur
Of The Year

50 Technology
Tony Aquila,

Solera Holdings, Inc.
Hamdi Ulukaya,

Founder and CEO, Chobani, Inc.
United States
Alumni community
There’s no community like
it anywhere in the world

64
Kl]n]fN&9ZjYekgf$
Mfan]jkYd<akhdYq;gjhgjYlagf
9k`Yj9rar$>aj]=q]$Af[&
HYmd>gjkl]jYf\JgfqCY`Yf$
Indeed
EY Entrepreneurial
Winning Women™
Presenting the
;dYkkg^*()+
59 Call for 2014
nominations
CfgoY`a_`%_jgol`
entrepreneur?

54
Nominate him or her!
Venture Capital
Award of Excellence
9f]]d:`mkjaYf\<Yna\<m^Ô]d\$

Workday
Mary Fisher, SkinMedica

Paul Forster and Rony Kahan,

Indeed “Values are something you
Renaud Laplanche, Lending Club

stick with, even when it hurts”
Hamid Moghadam, Prologis

Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 3

 Judges
“We appreciate having so many of the top National Entrepreneur
entrepreneurs that we’ve honored in years Of The Year 2013 judges
past serve as national judges to select our
Georgia Berner, Berner International Corp.
Entrepreneur Of The Year national
finalists and winners” Ray Bingham$?]f]jYd9ldYfla[

Bill Boyd$9_adalqJ][gn]jqKgdmlagfk
Bryan Pearce
Americas Director Tom Briggs, Whiting Petroleum
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year
and Venture Capital Kevin Buchi, Cephalon, Inc.
Advisory Group
Marcelo Claure, Brightstar Corp.

Christopher Dalton$9[imalq?jgmh

Charles D. Davidson, Noble Energy, Inc.

James W. Dixon, CompuCom Systems, Inc.

David A. Ethridge, NYSE Euronext

William Glazer$C]qklgf]Hjgh]jlq?jgmh

Earl Gilbert (Butch) Graves,

Black Enterprise

Wayne B. Goldberg$DYImaflYAffkKmal]k

Vinita Gupta, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

David Habiger, Silicon Media Partners

James A. Hughes, First Solar

Sanjay Khosla$CjY^l>gg\k

Ronald J. Kruszewski, Stifel Financial Corp.

Marc R. Lederman, New Spring Capital

Teri List-Stoll$CjY^l>gg\k?jgmh

Patrick Lo$F=L?=9J

Kenneth W. Lowe,
Scripps Networks Interactive

Adrianna C. Ma$?]f]jYd9ldYfla[DD;

José R. Mas, MasTec, Inc.

John C. (Jack) Mascaro,

Mascaro Construction

Robert H. McCooey,
L`]F9K<9IGEP?jgmh$Af[&

4 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013

 “You are engaged and surrounded by people
that find solutions [and] believe in the future”
Kevin Reddy, Fgg\d]k;gehYfq
240
FmeZ]jg^j]_agfYdoaff]jkÌhjgÕd]k
reviewed by the national judging team

Richard M. McVey,
EYjc]l9p]kk@gd\af_k$Af[&

Vishnu Menon, Warburg Pincus

Rob Moore$:a_%<;gfkljm[lagf

Jim Nixon, Varel International

Javier Palomarez,
United States Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce

Kimberly Park,
Janssen Healthcare Innovation

James N. Perry, Jr.,

EY\akgf<]YjZgjfHYjlf]jk

Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk,
<mYfqHdYl]j%RqZ]jc;g&

Kevin Reddy$Fgg\d]k;gehYfq

Abe N. Reichental,
+<Kqkl]ek;gjhgjYlagf

James Reynolds, Jr.,

Loop Capital Markets

Jeff Rhodes$LH?;YhalYd$D&H&

Lisa G. Shaffer$?]f]la[N]l]jafYjq
K[a]f[]k$Af[& <:9HYoHjafl?]f]la[k!

Steven Streit$?j]]f<gl;gjhgjYlagf

William (Bill) B. Summers, Jr.,

<aj][lgjYf\9\nakgj

Charles Sweat, Earthbound Farm

Mark Volchek, Higher One

Elliott J. Wagner$L`];Yjdqd]?jgmh

EYt9kkmjYf[]tLYptLjYfkY[lagfkt9\nakgjq
About EY
=QakY_dgZYdd]Y\]jafYkkmjYf[]$lYp$ljYfkY[lagfYf\Y\nakgjqk]jna[]k&L`]afka_`lkYf\imYdalqk]jna[]ko]\]dan]j`]dhZmad\ljmklYf\[gfÕ\]f[]afl`][YhalYdeYjc]lkYf\af][gfgea]kl`]ogjd\gn]j&
We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for
our communities.
=Qj]^]jklgl`]_dgZYdgj_YfarYlagf$Yf\eYqj]^]jlggf]gjegj]$g^l`]e]eZ]jÕjekg^=jfklQgmf_?dgZYdDaeal]\$]Y[`g^o`a[`akYk]hYjYl]d]_Yd]flalq&=jfklQgmf_?dgZYdDaeal]\$YMC
company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.
=jfklQgmf_DDHakY[da]fl%k]jnaf_e]eZ]jÕjeg^=jfklQgmf_?dgZYdDaeal]\gh]jYlaf_afl`]MK&
¡*()+=jfklQgmf_DDH&9ddJa_`lkJ]k]jn]\&
K;GJ=fg&:=(*,,&=<()),&

EY is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. This document was printed using recycled paper and vegetable-based ink.

5
 Honoring those who are
breaking convention
hat does it mean to defy gravity? If you’re an
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™9oYj\oaff]j$
it means you’re defying the odds, defying the
impossible and defying everyone who told you
that your dream wouldn’t come true.
L`]=Q=flj]hj]f]mjG^L`]Q]Yj9oYj\`gfgjk
those who’ve done all that, and more. Our honorees
have built market-leading companies that make
our communities, our country and the world a
better place. In this special issue of Exceptional,
we publicly honor their ability to create new products
and services, transform organizations, enrich lives,
contribute to the vibrancy of national economies
and, well, defy gravity.
Each year, the most successful entrepreneurs
in the US vie for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year
9oYj\$l`]egklhj]kla_agmk`gfgjafalk[dYkk&
Past winners and their companies are among the
egklafÖm]flaYd$j][g_farYZd]fYe]kafl`]Zmkaf]kk
ogjd\Èaf[dm\af_J]a\@g^^eYfYf\B]^^O]af]j
g^Dafc]\Af;gjhgjYlagf$Eaf\q?jgkkeYfg^@KF$
Howard Schultz of Starbucks Corporation,
Ea[`Y]d<]ddg^<]ddAf[&$Yf\dYklq]YjÌkoaff]j$
Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani, Inc., who went on to win
the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™9oYj\&
6
Throughout the US, 25 regional programs host
=flj]hj]f]mjG^L`]Q]Yj9oYj\k_YdYk]Y[`Bmf]lg
`gfgjl`]ajÕfYdaklkYf\oaff]jk&J]_agfYdoaff]jk
then compete for the national awards, whose winners
are announced each November.
9khYjlg^l`]=QKljYl]_a[?jgol`>gjme®,
all regional and national winners are inducted into
the elite Entrepreneur Of The Year Hall of Fame,
gfh]jeYf]fl\akhdYqYl=QÌkMK`]Y\imYjl]jkYl
-Lae]kKimYj]afF]oQgjc;alq&
National Entrepreneur Of The Year winners
are chosen in each of 11 national categories by
independent judging panels under the auspices of
l`]=oaf_EYjagfCYm^^eYf>gmf\Ylagf&L`]gn]jYdd
winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur
Of The Year event, which takes place each spring
in Monaco.
 EY Entrepreneur
Of The Year™ Award
The Entrepreneur Of The Year
9oYj\`gfgjk]flj]hj]f]mjk
whose ingenuity, hard work and
perseverance have created and
sustained successful, growing
business ventures.
EY World Entrepreneur
Of The Year™
2013 award winner
Hamdi Ulukaya
Founder and CEO
Chobani, Inc.
Winners Network members include some of the most
recognizable names in business today ...
EY Entrepreneur
Of The Year™ Alumni
The Winners Network —
l`]egklafÖm]flaYd$affgnYlan]$
Mindy Grossman Howard Schultz exclusive community of
HSN Starbucks Corporation
entrepreneurs in the world —
is a private online community
that includes Entrepreneur Of The
Year winners from more
than 25 countries.
Jeff Weiner Reid Hoffman For more information, visit
LinkedIn Corporation LinkedIn Corporation ey.com/us/eoy/alumni.
Michael Dell Tony Tsieh
Dell Inc. Zappos
O`]j]]dk]oaddqgmÔf\
the country’s top CEOs,
]flj]hj]f]mjkYf\afÕm]f[]jk
gathered together in one place,
sharing their ideas and insights
for top-line growth?
Keep doing what you do best — defying
the odds, defying the naysayers
and defying gravity — and join us
November 12 –16 in Palm Springs for
the EY Strategic Growth Forum® 2014.
EY Strategic Growth Forum®
L`akÕn]%\Yq]n]flakhY[c]\oal`
dynamic speakers, highly relevant
sessions, panel discussion, networking
opportunities, celebrity hosts and
2,000 of the country’s leading CEOs,
entrepreneurs and executives.
For more information, visit ey.com/us/sgf.
EY Entrepreneurial
Winning Women™
This program provides a select group
of high-potential women entrepreneurs
with “insider access” to EY’s
unparalleled networks of established
entrepreneurs, high-growth company
CEOs, investors and advisors.
For more information about the program, visit
ey.com/us/entrepreneurialwinningwomen.
7
Category: Real Estate, Construction and Lodging

Overall award winner

Foresight
pays off
Award winner_Hamid Moghadam
Chairman and CEO
Prologis
San Francisco, CA
Founded: 1983

Location, location, location … and timing …

helped Hamid Moghadam lead Prologis
to the top of the real estate world.

8 Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+

Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+ 9
 “It’s not just the ability to see trends,
but the courage to do something about it”

hey say success in

real estate is all
about location, location,
location, but there’s also
a case to be made for
timing. By anticipating
and then taking action to
respond to developing market
trends, Hamid Moghadam,
CEO of Prologis, has guided
l`]j]Yd]klYl]Õje`]^gmf\]\
af)10+l`jgm_`l`j]]\][Y\]k
of sometimes turbulent
economic conditions.
Moghadam’s timing was
impeccable in 2011 when,
Yk;=Gg^9E:Hjgh]jlq
Corporation, he merged with
his former competitor to form
the company that now ranks
as the world’s largest owner,
developer and operator of
industrial logistics real estate.
Prologis assets have tripled since the merger. The US economy was already struggling in the late 1970s,
Laeaf_$`go]n]j$oYkfglimal]gf`akka\]afl`]dYl] and with the Iranian hostage crisis dominating the nightly news
1970s when he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute coverage, doors did not open readily for an Iranian immigrant
of Technology with a degree in Engineering. Moghadam k]]caf_YbgZ&Eg_`Y\Yeh]jk]n]j]\$]n]flmYddqÕf\af_YbgZ
intended to return to Iran to develop real estate for his h]j^gjeaf_YfYdqla[Ydogjc^gj@ge]klYc]Eafaf_$l`]Õjkl_gd\
family’s business, but his plans were derailed by the Iranian company to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
J]ngdmlagfaf)1/0&Eg_`Y\Yeafkl]Y\Yll]f\]\KlYf^gj\ 9^l]jogjcaf_^gjYfgl`]jj]Yd]klYl][gehYfq$af)10+
?jY\mYl]K[`ggdg^:mkaf]kk$hdYffaf_lgj]lmjfo`]f Eg_`Y\Yel]Ye]\oal`loghYjlf]jklg^gmf\9E:oal`
“there was more clarity” to the situation in Iran. That clarity, only $50,000 in capital. They planned to provide investment
however, came with the overthrow of the Shah in 1979, advisory services, but the company soon “morphed into a
so Moghadam stayed in the US and began looking for work workout business” where they gained a solid reputation for
after graduation. helping investors revive underperforming assets.

10 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013


O`ad]allggc9E:Yo`ad]lg_]lg^^l`]klYjlaf_Zdg[c$l`]
[gehYfqZ][Ye]hjgÕlYZd]Yf\]n]fkm[[]kk^mddqYfla[ahYl]\
l`][gddYhk]g^l`]g^Õ[]Zmad\af_eYjc]lafl`]dYl])10(k&
Moghadam recognized that changing demographics,
[geZaf]\oal`gn]jZmad\af_afg^Õ[][gehd]p]k$ogmd\d]Y\
lgkgYjaf_nY[Yf[qjYl]k&@]j]\aj][l]\9E:Ìkafn]kle]flklg
focus on industrial parks and shopping centers. That decision
hgkalagf]\9E:lgl`jan]\mjaf_l`])11(kYf\k]ll`]klY_]
for the company’s IPO in 1997.
“I won’t pat myself on the back for being smarter than
other guys. We acted on what we saw,” he says. “It’s not just
the ability to see trends, but the courage to do something
about it. Many people, when faced with evidence that doesn’t
Õll`]ajl`]kak$kla[cl`]aj`]Y\afl`]kYf\&Ê
The value of scarcity
Moghadam also moved against conventional wisdom
when he began buying “distribution facilities” near global
trade hubs — seaports, international airports and large
Category: Real Estate, Construction and Lodging
metropolitan areas — while other real estate companies
o]j]Zmad\af_oYj]`gmk]kafdgo%[gklYj]Yk&:q\]Õfalagf$
“a warehouse means a house to store wares,” he says, adding
that he failed to see the wisdom in building storage facilities in
low-cost areas far removed from major population centers.
On the other hand, he adds, “Scarce real estate is always
_gaf_lgZ][ge]egj]nYdmYZd]&ÊKg9E:^g[mk]\gfY[imajaf_
distribution facilities and cargo buildings in major cities close to
global trade centers.
9E:hmjkm]\YfYdl]jfYlan]
strategy with rapid growth
markets in Brazil, Mexico and
China, where they aggressively
developed facilities to store and
deliver consumer products to the
rapidly expanding middle classes
in those countries.
“Consumers in those economies
are eager to buy things we take
for granted, everything from toilet
paper to tires,” Moghadam says.
?dgZYdj]lYad]jkkm[`YkOYd%EYjl
Yf\@ge]<]hglf]]\klgjY_]
facilities to deliver products to
consumers, he notes, and prefer
working with a global company they know such as Prologis
rather than an unknown local developer.
In 2008, Moghadam began to see the early signs of the
ÕfYf[aYd[jakak&L`YlBmdq$`]klYjl]\hmddaf_ZY[c[YhalYdYf\
reducing staff. The cuts were painful but necessary, Moghadam
says, although he did regret not anticipating just how severe
l`][jakakogmd\Z]YlÕjkl2ÉO]`Y\lg[mlklY^^l`j]]lae]k&
It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” Nevertheless, at each
kl]h$Eg_`Y\YeeY\]kmj]]ehdgq]]kcf]o9E:`Y\YhdYf
for recovery and that they should “never lose sight of the fact
that we’d be in a position to grow again.”
9E:^gmf\alk]d^afl`Ylhgkalagfd]kkl`Yflogq]YjkdYl]j
when it began talks to merge with its major competitor,
Hjgdg_ak&AloYkZadd]\YkYe]j_]jg^]imYdk$Zmll`]ÕfYf[aYd
downturn had hit Prologis hard, sending its stock price plunging
from $75 to less than $1.
“I knew the business was sound, though, and that the new
CEO was someone I could work with,” Moghadam says. Once the
deal was closed in June 2011, they rapidly set to work cleaning
up the portfolio, selling off bad assets and then raising $8 billion
afhjanYl]Yf\hmZda[]imalq&Kaf[]l`]f$l`]f]o[gehYfq`Yk
continued to grow, and Moghadam notes with some pride that
“no one has ever done in real estate” what Prologis has done in
the past two years.
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 11
 “Values are something you stick with,
even when it hurts, such as walking
away from a business opportunity
because it runs against your values”
Culture of empowered accountability
He also realized, along with his management team, that
he could not run a $45 billion real estate company from
the top down. To create a more nimble enterprise, Prologis
is building what Moghadam calls a “culture of empowered
accountability.” Big corporations have inherent advantages
of scale and extensive resources, he says. But eventually,
employees at large companies become like “housecats
because they don’t have to fend for themselves.”
To help local business leaders fend for themselves and win
on the ground, Prologis gives them the leeway to make local
investment decisions and then, once they are vetted, get
them approved by corporate risk management teams.
To make sure everyone operates from the same playbook,
Moghadam has instilled a strong sense of corporate values.
“You can’t write a 400-page manual for people to consult
whenever they want to take action,” he says.
12 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
9kYj]kmdl$Hjgdg_ak`Yk]eZg\a]\alknYdm]k
afl`]Y[jgfqeAEH9;L Afl]_jalq$E]flgjk`ah$
HYkkagf$9[[gmflYZadalq$;gmjY_]Yf\L]Yeogjc!&
“Values are something you stick with, even when
it hurts, such as walking away from a business
opportunity because it runs against your values,”
Moghadam says.
Corporate values matter more than culture
to Moghadam, which can vary from one country
lgl`]f]pl2ÉAlÌkl`]nYdm]kl`YlZaf\l`]
company together.”
9k;=Gg^YeYbgj[gjhgjYlagf`]Y\imYjl]j]\
in San Francisco, Moghadam has given back
lgl`]:Yq9j]Y$hYjla[mdYjdqaf]\m[Ylagf&
He is also a strong supporter of his cultural
heritage, establishing an Iranian Studies program at
KlYf^gj\Yf\[g%^gmf\af_l`]AjYf<]eg[jY[qHjgb][lYll`]
Hoover Institution.
But as he does with investment decisions, Moghadam likes to
celebrate local initiative. “I don’t like to call attention to my own
actions,” he says. “It’s not as meaningful for me to write a big
check as it is for another employee to write a smaller one.”
$45b
US
Assets under Prologis management
 Category: Real Estate, Construction and Lodging

finalists
Founded

65

Founded Founded

03 Neil Shah 84 Jay Shah

David R. Gaboury Steve V. Pate Jay H. Shah

Terracon
President and CEO
Olathe, KS
From the days it was founded as a soil
testing service, Terracon has emphasized
growth from the ground up. That company
tradition set down even stronger roots in
1980 when it became an employee-owned
consulting company.
Kaf[]lYcaf_gn]jYk;=Gaf*((+$
<Yna\?YZgmjq`Yk]eZjY[]\l`]]ehdgq]]
ownership concept, encouraging Terracon’s
]ehdgq]]klg`]dhl`]Õje[gflafm]_jgoaf_
l`jgm_`][gfgea[[`Ydd]f_]kYf\Y[imaj]
small consulting businesses. This vision
helped the company persevere through the
economic downturn and emerge as an even
stronger company, maintaining an annual
_jgol`jYl]g^0l`jgm_`Y[imakalagfkYf\
),gn]jYdd&
Today, Terracon has positioned itself to
build on this strong foundation with its
Strategic Plan 2017, which challenges the
Õjelg]phYf\alk^gmj[gj]k]jna[]daf]k3
excel at employee safety, well-being and
]f_Y_]e]fl3Yf\_jgogmlka\]l`]MK&
Strike, LLC
Chairman and CEO
The Woodlands, TX
When he took over his father’s construction
Zmkaf]kk$Kl]n]HYl]ngo]\f]n]jlgkY[jaÕ[] Philadelphia, PA
kY^]lqYf\imYdalqbmkl^gjl`]kYc]g^
winning a bid.
His relentless focus on safety paid off
when Congress passed the Pipeline Safety
Aehjgn]e]fl9[laf*((*$o`a[`eYf\Yl]\
ka_faÕ[Yfl[`Yf_]klg]fkmj]fYlmjYd_Yk
pipeline safety and integrity. Soon after,
Pate formed Strike LLC to help natural
gas pipeline operators address many of
l`]9[lÌkhjgnakagfk$km[`Ykhj]hYjaf_
and implementing integrity management
programs for the vast pipeline infrastructure
in the US.
Pate has deployed a “one step
ahead” innovation mentality, seeking
to exceed industry benchmarks in such
critical measures as lost-time incidents.
Industry-wide, many companies realize
ka_faÕ[Yfl`gmjkdgklYffmYddq$ZmlKljac]`Yk
achieved more than 8.1 million work hours
without a single lost-time incident.
This commitment to safety and to people — `gl]daf\mkljqe]lja[&Lg\Yq@]jk`Y?jgmh
both customers and employees — has helped
Pate lead Strike to a compound annual
_jgol`jYl]g^.-&
CEO and member of the Board of Trustees
Neil H. Shah
President and COO
Hersha Group
O`]f@]jk`Y?jgmhj]n]fm]khdmee]l]\
*(\mjaf_l`]j][]kkagf$Zjgl`]jkBYqYf\
F]adK`Y`\a\fÌlÖaf[`&@Ynaf_hmlYka\]
promising business careers to run the family
hotel business, the brothers doubled down.
Instead of slashing costs, they recognized
an opportunity to rebuild and revamp the
hotel chain’s properties. They commissioned
extensive renovation projects on Hersha
?jgmh`gl]dk$o`a[`af[dm\]l`]`aklgja[
Jall]f`gmk]@gl]dafH`adY\]dh`aYYf\l`]
new Hyatt 48 Lex in Manhattan. This meant
accommodations were fresh and ready
for business when the economy improved.
Af^Y[l$@]jk`Y?jgmheY\]alkdYj_]kl
Y[imakalagfYll`]eYjc]lÌkdgo]klhgafl$af
January 2009.
@]jk`Y?jgmhfgojmfkYfmeZ]jg^`gl]dk
that outperform high-end landmarks in
revenue per available room — an important
has nearly 4,000 employees, and its
j]n]fm]k`Yn]_jgofZqegj]l`Yf,-
since 2010.

Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 13

Distribution and
Manufacturing

Moving forward
Award winner_Paul W. Jones
Executive Chairman
A. O. Smith Corporation
Milwaukee, WI
Founded: 1874

Doing whatever it takes with the customer in mind.

al`Y\]Y\daf]dggeaf_lgÕpY\]ka_fÖYoafYhjg\m[lYf\_]lallgl`][mklge]j
oal`af`gmjk$HYmdBgf]k^Y[]\Y\ad]eeY&9^l]jYddl`]]f_af]]jk`Y\d]^l^gjl`]
night, Jones and one other engineer kept working and found the solution around
+Y&e&:mll`]hjgZd]e[gehgmf\]\o`]fl`]qf]]\]\)(j]hda[YkYf\l`]
necessary materials were locked in the engineering manager’s desk. Jones called
`aeYf\oYkj]eaf\]\$imal]hgafl]\dq$l`YlaloYk+Y&e&Yf\`]ogmd\fÌlZ][geaf_af
until morning. “I am not going to lose a customer,” Jones thought, so he found a screwdriver
and broke into the locked desk, obtained the product necessary and completed the job in time.
L`]eYfY_]jlja]\lg_]l`aeÕj]\$ZmlBgf]koYkafkl]Y\mdlaeYl]dq[gf_jYlmdYl]\^gjkYnaf_
the customer relationship and contract.
L`Ylaf[a\]fl$o`ad]Bgf]koYkYk][gf\%k`a^l^gj]eYfaf?=ÌkEYfm^Y[lmjaf_EYfY_]e]fl
Hjg_jYe$oYk[Yj]]j%\]Õfaf_&:mlaloYkfgl`af_f]o^gjBgf]k$o`g\g]ko`Yl]n]jakf]]\]\
to get a job done.
Jones grew up in a working-class family, where the value of hard work and responsibility was
instilled in him at an early age. He was a helper on a paper route six days a week when he was
bmkl0q]Yjkgd\&9f\o`]f`ak^Yl`]jZ][Ye]addl`j]]q]YjkdYl]j$aloYkYda^]%[`Yf_af_]n]fl
for him and his family.
While his father was out of work for a year recovering from open-heart surgery, Jones took
gfemdlahd]bgZkaf[dm\af_egoaf_dYofkÈdal]jYddqo]Yjaf_gmll`]]imahe]flgn]jl`][gmjk]
of a summer. “Ever since I was 8 years old, I always had a job,” Jones says. “I never got an
allowance as a kid. If I wanted to buy something, I had to go earn the money myself.”

Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 15


While in high school, an aptitude test found that Jones
would likely excel in engineering. But he wondered how good
g^Yf]f_af]]j`]ogmd\Z]2ÉA`Yn]l`akaehYla]flklj]Yc
in me and engineers need to be very patient, so I started
looking at something where I could use engineering and
move into business.”
He decided to attend the University of Evansville in Indiana
as it offered a co-op program that would help him pay for
school and provide him with valuable work experience.
9khYjlg^l`]hjg_jYe$?=g^^]j]\`aeYhgkalagfafalk
“We are still on our journey, and we see lots of
opportunities for shareholder returns going forward”
Manufacturing Management Program — what Jones called
a “real job.”
“I wasn’t just following someone around. I had my own
responsibilities,” Jones says. The program’s rotating
assignment meant that Jones had to relocate three times in
three years.
Bgf]kkh]fll`]f]pl)1q]Yjkg^`ak[Yj]]jYl?=&
He started as a shift engineer and worked up to running
ka_faÕ[Yfl\anakagfkYf\Z]af_gf]g^l`][gehYfqÌk
Top 80 executives.
9^l]jYkm[[]kk^mdfaf]q]YjkYk;=G$Bgf]kbgaf]\
?j]]fÕ]d\Af\mklja]k$o`]j]`]_j]oj]n]fm]kYf\
kmZk]im]fldqlggcl`][gehYfqhmZda[$Z]^gj]k]ddaf_
for US$1.5 billion.
9&G&Keal`$YeYfm^Y[lmj]jg^j]ka\]flaYdYf\[gee]j[aYd
oYl]j`]Ylaf_]imahe]fl$Zjgm_`lafBgf]kYk;GGaf*((,
Yf\logq]YjkdYl]jfYe]\`ae;=G&Bgf]ka\]flaÕ]\l`]
importance of hot water and clean water as emerging global
16 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
“I am not going
to lose a customer”
af\mklja]k&Af*((.$Bgf]kkh]Yj`]Y\]\l`]Y[imakalagf
of a Canadian residential water heater manufacturer,
eYcaf_9&G&Keal`l`]dYj_]kloYl]j`]Yl]j[gehYfqaf
Fgjl`9e]ja[Y&
9fgl`]jYj]Yo`]j]Bgf]kkYohgl]flaYdoYkaf;`afYYf\
Af\aY&@akkljYl]_a[afalaYlan]k_j]okYd]kaf;`afYÕn]%^gd\&
Jones has instilled a more forward-looking approach to the
corporate culture. “We used to spend days looking at July
j]kmdlkaf9m_mkl$Yf\fgoAkh]f\)(eafml]kdggcaf_YlBmdq
results,” he says. “We spend our time talking about what is
happening in September, October,
the rest of the year and year after.
A\gfÌldggcZY[c3h]ghd]Yj]fgo
held accountable for doing what
they say they are going to do.”
Jones is a prominent leader
in the region’s philanthropic and
business development efforts. “We have always been active
in the Milwaukee area,” he says. “The company has been here
)+1q]Yjk&Ê
He takes an active role on several boards, including the
:gqk?ajdk;dmZkg^?j]Yl]jEadoYmc]]$;`ad\j]fÌk@gkhalYd
g^Oak[gfkaf$l`]Mfal]\OYqg^?j]Yl]jEadoYmc]]$l`]
Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin Board of Trustees and the
Board of Trustees for the University of Evansville.
Bgf]k`YkYdkghmlYf]eh`Ykakgfl`]oYl]jimYdalq$
]\m[YlagfYf\l][`fgdg_ql`Yl[Yf[gflafm]lgZ]f]Õll`]
community. He was the co-founder of the Milwaukee Water
Council, which strives to be a world hub for water research,
education and economic development. This mission dovetails
oal`9&G&Keal`Ìk^mlmj]_gYdk&
“We are still on our journey, and we see lots of
opportunities for shareholder returns going forward,”
Jones says.

Founded
84
Andra Rush
The Rush Group
CEO
Detroit, MI
Two years after graduating with a degree
afFmjkaf_$9f\jYJmk`d]^ll`Yl[Yj]]j^gj
the life of an entrepreneur. Still in her early
*(k$k`]^gmf\]\Jmk`Ljm[caf_oal`bmkl
three trucks. She has since built it into the
largest woman-owned trucking company and
gf]g^l`]dYj_]klFYlan]9e]ja[Yf%gof]\
Zmkaf]kk]kafl`]fYlagf&Jmk`Ljm[caf_
now operates more than 800 tractors and
)$+-(ljYad]jk^gjalk>gjlmf])(([da]flk&
AfY\\alagflgJmk`Ljm[caf_$af*((*
Jmk`^gmf\]\<YccglYAfl]_jYl]\Kqkl]ek$
which provides a variety of build-to-order
manufacturing processes including cockpit,
overhead and fascia systems for integrated
vehicle interiors. Jmk`ÌkdYl]klmf\]jlYcaf_
ak<]ljgalEYfm^Y[lmjaf_Kqkl]ek <EK!&
This joint venture with automotive parts
manufacturer Faurecia will produce
Ymlgeglan]afl]jagj[gehgf]flkafl`]Õjkl
f]oYmlgeglan]hdYflZmadlaf<]ljgalaf
\][Y\]k&AlkÕjkl[mklge]jakl`]>gj\Eglgj
;gehYfq&L`akq]Yj$<EKoaddZ]dYmf[`af_
seven new projects with Ford.
Category: Distribution and Manufacturing
finalists
Founded
98
Dr. J. Larry Sanders
Specialty Fertilizer Products, LLC
President and CEO
Leawood, KS
The seeds of what would become Specialty
>]jladar]jHjg\m[lk K>H!o]j]hdYfl]\af
l`]eaf\g^<j&DYjjqKYf\]jko`ad]`]oYk
growing up on a farm in east Texas. His idea
was to help farmers, like his father, better use
the expensive but necessary fertilizer they
applied to their crops.
9^l]j[gehd]laf_log\g[lgjYd\]_j]]kaf
soil chemistry and soil fertility plant nutrition,
Sanders founded a small micronutrient
fertilizer company in a time when
billion-dollar corporations were gobbling
up start-ups. With Sanders playing both
innovator and salesperson, it took six years
^gjK>Hlgakkm]alkÕjklhYl]fl]\hgdqe]j
product. The success of this product allowed
the company to issue additional patents in
2006 and another in 2012.
9kYj]kmdlg^Z]af_[`Ydd]f_]\lg
compete with the larger corporations, SFP
emphasizes driving patents to completion
before marketing its products. From 2010 to
2012, its sales almost doubled.
Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+
Founded
55
Gary M. Schuster
OMCO
President and CEO
Wickliffe, OH
O`]f?YjqK[`mkl]jbgaf]\GE;GYk
President and CEO in 2006, the future
looked bleak. The company, which
manufactures custom roll-formed products
for many applications including components
for truck bodies and trailers, was suffering
through a cyclical downturn in its core sales
markets. The economic recession resulted
afYf0(kYd]k\][daf]afK[`mkl]jÌkÕjkl
three years.
In response, Schuster enacted cost-cutting
e]Ykmj]kl`Ylo]j]]imYddqk]n]j]2j]\m[af_
salaries, closing plants and stripping
marketing budgets to zero. He told the banks
of the severity of the downturn, what he was
doing to manage it and how he would move
the company forward to diversify and grow.
K[`mkl]ja\]flaÕ]\Yf]]\^gjGE;GÌk
products in the Southwest’s growing solar
panel manufacturing industry and dispatched
his top salesperson to Phoenix. OMCO’s
logq]Yjkg^kmZk]im]fl_jgol`afl`akf]o
eYjc]laf[j]Yk]\kYd]kZqegj]l`Yf+(($
putting the company back on solid ground.
17
Emerging
Overcoming
obstacles
Award winner_Will Dean
Co-founder and CEO
Tough Mudder
Brooklyn, NY
Founded: 2009

Will people really pay to run through

mud and experience electric shock?

gjOadd<]Yf$l`]a\]YZ]`af\Lgm_`Em\\]joYklg[j]Yl]Ykhgjlaf_
“Remember,
]n]fll`Ylogmd\hjgna\]Ymfaim]]ph]ja]f[]^gjaf\ana\mYdk$Yddgoaf_
them to achieve a sense of personal accomplishment while also building
[YeYjY\]ja]&>gjl`][gehYfqÌkÕjkl]n]fl$`]hdYff]\Y)(%lg)*%ead]
you signed a
obstacle course sending participants through ice-cold water, pits of mud,
Õj]$ZYjZ]\oaj]Yf\]d][lja[k`g[ck&:ml^gjl`][gehYfqlg_]llgl`akklY_]$
<]Yf`Y\lggn]j[ge]Y^]ogZklY[d]k`aek]d^&
death waiver”
He submitted his business proposal as part of a business plan competition
o`ad]klm\qaf_^gj`akE:9Yll`]@YjnYj\:mkaf]kkK[`ggd&L`]a\]YoYkfgl
well-received — professors had a hard time believing people would be willing to pay
lgjmfafl`]em\Yf\l`jgm_`Õj]Yf\]ph]ja]f[]]d][lja[k`g[c&L`]ajY\na[]lg
<]YfoYklgÕf\ÉYhjgh]jbgZ&Ê
“I think a lot of entrepreneurship is about identifying a problem that you have, and
alakl`]Z]da]^l`YlqgmYj]fglYdgf]af^]]daf_l`YloYq$Ê<]YfkYqk&>gj]pYehd]$`]
disliked the solitude of competing in marathons and triathlons, and he felt too much
]eh`YkakoYkZ]af_hdY[]\gfl`]Õfak`af_lae]&9^l]jYdd$YfYeYl]mjeYjYl`gf
jmff]jÌkÕjkl_gYdak$kaehdq$lgÕfak`&
“I believed there were others who felt the way I did, that they wanted to do an
activity with friends and not take themselves too seriously, get a little nutty and not
[Yj]YZgmlo`Yllae]l`]q\galafYf\l`]f`Yn]Y^]oZ]]jkY^l]joYj\k$Ê<]YfkYqk&
;Yhlmjaf_l`akYllalm\]$gf]g^l`][gehYfqÌkL%k`ajlkj]Y\k2ÉJ]e]eZ]j$qgmka_f]\
a death waiver.”

18 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013

19
 “I think a lot of
entrepreneurship is
about identifying a
problem that you have,
and it is the belief that
you are not alone in
feeling that way”
<]khal]l`]fYqkYqaf_g^`akhjg^]kkgjk$<]Yf`Y\
an idea that he believed in, plus some early success as an
]flj]hj]f]mj&:][Ymk]l`]MC_gn]jfe]flYddgokklm\]flklg
set up their own company and will even help them to do so,
`]]klYZdak`]\`akÕjkl[gehYfqo`]f`]oYkbmkl).&L`]
eg\]d2<]YfYf\`ak[mjj]flZmkaf]kkhYjlf]j l`]f`a_`
k[`ggd[`me!?mqDanaf_klgf]kgd\[gdgj%[`Yf_af_fYadhgdak`
YlnYjagmkljY\]^Yajkafl`]MC&
9dgf_oal`Danaf_klgf]$<]Yf[j]Yl]\Lgm_`Em\\]jaf*()(
oal`bmkl*($(((afh]jkgfYdkYnaf_k&>gjl`][gehYfqÌkÕjkl
]n]flaf9dd]flgof$H9$oal`YeYjc]laf_Zm\_]lg^0$*(($`]
ghlaeakla[Yddqhjgb][l]\-((hYjla[ahYflk&<]YfkYqk$ÉO]kgd\
gml-$(((khglkafÕn]o]]ck&Ê
=n]foal``akegklghlaeakla[hjgb][lagfk$<]Yff]n]j
imagined that Tough Mudder would grow so large and so
ima[cdq&9f\Z][Ymk]g^l`][gehYfqÌk]YjdqYf\jYha\km[[]kk$
it has incurred no debt.
With the company literally off and running, revenues have
_jgof\jYeYla[Yddqq]Yjgn]jq]Yj2hYjla[ahYlagf_j]o,$(((
between 2010 and 2012 while revenues grew nearly as
em[`&Af*()+$l`][gehYfqakhjgb][l]\lgj]Y[`egj]l`Yf
/-($(((hYjla[ahYflkaf-+k[`]\md]\]n]flkYjgmf\l`]ogjd\$
af[dm\af_log]n]flkZ]af_`]d\af?]jeYfq^gjl`]Õjkllae]&
“Tough Mudder caters to a really broad demographic,”
<]YfkYqk$Y\\af_l`Yll`]qÌj]Éh]ghd]o`goYfllg[`Ydd]f_]
themselves and push themselves, and those people come in all
ages, shapes and sizes.”
<]YfZ]da]n]kalakaeh]jYlan]^gj`akh]ghd]lg]fbgq
working at Tough Mudder and have a vested interest in
20 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
the company’s success. New employees are encouraged to
assess their position at Tough Mudder after six months and
consider whether they truly enjoy working there. If not, they
Yj]_an]f*$(((Yf\YkkaklYf[]^jgel`][gehYfqafÕf\af_
a new position somewhere else that is more aligned with
their interests.
Tough Mudder receives 15,000 résumés a month that
are carefully reviewed. When new team members join Tough
Mudder, they go through an induction period that stretches
gn]jk]n]jYdo]]cklgd]Yjfl`][gehYfqYf\alk[mdlmj]&9^l]j
that, there is a continuous focus on training and assessment.
“I often joke that Tough Mudder is somewhere between
Wall Street and Occupy Wall Street in terms of the people it
YlljY[lk$Ê<]YfkYqk&ÉL`]qoYfllgZ]hYjlg^Yhmjhgk]%\jan]f
gj_YfarYlagf$Yf\l`]qmf\]jklYf\l`YlhjgÕlYZadalqakY
necessary condition for the organization, but it is not the
only criterion.”
<]Yf`Yk[geeall]\lghjgna\af_kmhhgjllgk]n]jYd
charities, most notably the Wounded Warriors Project, spurred
by his own work in counterterrorism in the Middle East and
kgml`]jf9kaY^jge*((*lg*((/&
É>gjljgghk[geaf_ZY[caloYkYfYlmjYdÕl^gjmk$Yf\o]
Yj]l`]ajdYj_]klkaf_d]Z]f]^Y[lgj$Ê<]YfkYqk&Egj]l`Yfbmkl
the money raised is the fact that there are so many injured
veterans who participate in Tough Mudder events.
KYqk<]Yf$É>gje]l`]^Y[ll`YlLgm_`Em\\]jakhYjl
g^l`]ajj]Zmad\af_l`]ajdan]k$l`]aj[gfÕ\]f[]Yf\k]fk]g^
achievement is something we are proud of.”

Founded
09
Paul Capriolo
Social Growth Technologies, Inc.
CEO
Columbia, MD
When Paul Capriolo was launching Social
?jgol`L][`fgdg_a]k K?L!$l`]j]o]j]
more than two dozen established in-game
monetization platforms, all competing against
one another for exclusive rights to more than
50,000 mobile games and applications.
Capriolo found it nearly impossible for new
entrants to effectively enter this industry,
so he changed his strategy. Instead of
[geh]laf_oal`gl`]jhdYl^gjek$K?Logmd\
Z]l`]Õjklafl`]af\mkljqlghYjlf]joal`
all of them to bring advertisers and users
together to exchange value — a gamer could
watch a sponsored video and take action to
be rewarded with extra points, for example.
K?LÌkÕjklhdYl^gje$Kg[aYdAf_gl$j]Y[`]k
more than 250 million users per month,
which allows advertisers to target very
kh][aÕ[\]eg_jYh`a[kYf\[YehYa_f_gYdk&
K?L`Ykkaf[]dYmf[`]\loggl`]jYhhda[Ylagfk$
;gmhgf:m\\qYf\Kg[aYdCj]\alk$l`YlZgl`
leverage the technology and relationships
of Social Ingot. Through all three platforms,
K?Lfgo_]f]jYl]kegj]l`Yf)eaddagf[da[ck
a day, reaches more than 400 million users
monthly and drives hundreds of millions in
e-commerce sales annually.
finalists
Founded
10
Kevin Plumb
CTO
Jeffrey Smith
CEO
Ingram Medical
Sandy, UT
Over the past 20 years, the business
hYjlf]jk`ahg^B]^^Keal`Yf\C]nafHdmeZ
`YkklYjl]\gjY[imaj]\kap[gehYfa]k$
growing each to successful exits. In
2008 these serial entrepreneurs again
bgaf]\^gj[]kYf\Y[imaj]\Ye]\a[Yd
supplies wholesale distributorship serving
1,800 independent pharmacies.
By 2010, short of their expected growth
plan, Smith and Plumb took a risk and
focused on providing home-delivered diabetic
l]klaf_kmhhda]k&9kl`]ajf]on]flmj]Af_jYe
Medical gained traction, they decided to sell
the original medical supplies business to
fuel the growth of the new company. Smith
and Plumb also heavily invested their own
resources to keep Ingram on track.
Serving nearly 100,000 patients
nationwide, Ingram in 2012 more than
doubled its 2011 sales and is on pace to
Y_Yaf\gmZd]_jgol`af*()+&
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Category: Emerging
Founded
09
Naomi Whittel
Reserveage Organics
CEO and Founder
Gainesville, FL
O`]fFYgeaO`all]dklYjl]\J]k]jn]Y_]
Organics, she sought to become an innovator
in the health and wellness industry by providing
l`]`a_`]klimYdalqfmljalagfYdkmhhd]e]flk&
Formerly the owner of a health food store,
Whittel used her knowledge and industry
[gff][lagfklgdYmf[`J]k]jn]Y_]Gj_Yfa[k&
She was able to convince seventh-generation
organic vineyard farmers to form exclusive
relationships with her, thereby eliminating
the middleman and lowering the cost
to consumers.
JYak]\afY^Yeadq[geeall]\lggj_Yfa[
and biodynamic farming, Whittel was inspired
by her French heritage to learn about the
healthiest cultures in the world. She zeroed in
gfj]kn]jYljgd$k[a]flaÕ[Yddqk`goflgZ]l`]
element in red wine that can increase cellular
productivity and longevity.
J]k]jn]Y_]`Yk_jgofaflgY^Yeadqg^
brands that includes antioxidants, collagen
and keratin boosters, multivitamins, and
men’s and women’s health supplements. In
large part, the company’s growth has been
\jan]fZqalkeakkagflgZ]Õjkl%lg%eYjc]l
with the most effective clinically researched
ingredients. Sales more than doubled in 2012.
21
“I have to provide
a good reason
to run with me”

Energy, Cleantech
and Natural Resources
22 Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+
 Finding
success
within the
cracks
Award winner_Dr. Peter M. Duncan
Founder and CEO
MicroSeismic, Inc.
Houston, TX
Founded: 2003

Fortuitous timing has led MicroSeismic

to the front of the pack.
hen it comes to explaining his philosophy behind running MicroSeismic,
<j&H]l]jE&<mf[Yfj]Y[`]k^gjY\][a\]\dqg^^Z]Yle]lYh`gj$[gehYjaf_`ak
management style to steering a dogsled.
É<gqgmcfgoo`YlYo`a^Ö]lj]]ak7Ê<mf[YfYkck&ÉLg_]ll`]`gjk]klghmddaf
l`]kYe]\aj][lagfl`]qmk]SYkla^^ogg\]fZYj[Ydd]\UYo`a^Ö]lj]]$Zml^gjY\g_kd]\l`]
`Yjf]kkl`]qmk]akÖ]paZd]&L`]d]Y\\g_`Yklg_]ll`]gl`]jklg^gddgo&
ÉAna]oSEa[jgK]akea[Ul`]kYe]oYqYkl`]\g_kd]\2A`Yn]lghjgna\]Y_gg\j]Ykgflg
run with me,” he says. “To get people to join you in building the company, they have to feel
they’re important to the company — truly empowered — and they’ll keep going with you.”
Jmffaf_oal`<mf[Yf`YkZ]]f_gg\^gj`ak]ehdgq]]k$Zmll`]qea_`lfgl`Yn]`Y\l`]
[`Yf[]a^`]`Y\fÌl\ak[mkk]\l`][gee]j[aYdmk]kg^]Yjl`imYc]egfalgjaf_l][`fgdg_q
with another geologist.
É9kAdakl]f]\lg`aelYdcYZgml`aka\]Yk$alkljm[cY[`gj\oal`e]$Ê<mf[Yfj][Yddk&
9ll`]lae]$l`]gadYf\_Ykaf\mkljqoYkmkaf_\qfYeal]$naZjYlagfljm[ckYf\Yaj_mfk^gj
seismic monitoring, but it was trying to enter new areas that had limitations on what could
Z]\gf]Yf\o`Yl`]Ynq]imahe]fl[gmd\Z]mk]\gfYogjckal]&
<mf[Yfj][g_far]\l`YlhYkkan]k]akea[egfalgjaf_[gmd\Y\\j]kkl`gk]akkm]k&
Af*((+`]^gmf\]\Ea[jgK]akea[oal`Yf]q]lgoYj\[Yjnaf_gmlYfa[`]afYfaf\mkljq
dominated by more invasive and environmentally damaging technologies such as
downhole monitoring wells. Microseismic monitoring and traditional downhole and heavy
]imahe]flegfalgjaf_[YfZ][gehYj]\egklkaehdakla[Yddq$<mf[YfkYqk$lgY\g[lgjmkaf_
Ykl]l`gk[gh]n]jkmkYfEJA$o`a[`j]imaj]kYka_fYdlgZ]k]flkgal[YfZ]j]Y\&

Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 23


Microseismic monitoring, which uses an array of surface
monitors to capture existing seismic activity, wasn’t exactly
Yf]oa\]Y^gjgadÕ]d\Yhhda[Ylagfk$<mf[Yffgl]k&AloYk
gja_afYddqhjghgk]\af)1/+$ZmlYll`]lae]$]imahe]flaf
l`]Õ]d\oYkfÌlk]fkalan]]fgm_`lg[Yhlmj]l`]lafqk]akea[
signals that occur naturally or during the course of normal
drilling and engineering activity at a site.
ÉGf]g^l`]Z]kl_mqkafl`]Õ]d\hmZdak`]\YhYh]jafÌ(.
or ’07 saying he tried it in the ’70s and it didn’t work, so a lot
of others didn’t try it,” he says.
L`ajlqq]YjkY^l]jl`gk]ÕjklYll]ehlk$<mf[Yf^]dll`]
lae]oYkja_`l2ÉEgklg^l`]k[a]f[]oYk\gf]&AloYkj]Yddq
an engineering project of taking a technology that was pretty
o]dd%\]n]dgh]\Yf\lo]Ycaf_allgZ]mk]^mdafYfgadÕ]d\&Ê
Things got even better as modern-day hydraulic fracture
stimulation mining began to take off as an economically
viable form of extraction. More commonly known as
“fracking,” this process extracts natural gas from shale rock
layers deep in the earth.
<mf[YfY[cfgod]\_]kl`Ylo`ad]`]oYk\]n]dghaf_
24 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
“One of the best guys in
the field … tried it in the ’70s
and it didn’t work, so a lot
of others didn’t try it”
MicroSeismic’s technology, he believed it would be
compatible with fracking, but it was way down on his list
of options for the new company. Even in the middle of
development, he expected more traditional extraction
methods to be where his company would be most applicable.
But MicroSeismic did get an early contract with a fracking
operation and began conducting reservoir monitoring, and
l`]j]kmdlko]j]Écaf\g^aflja_maf_$Ê<mf[Yfj]Ö][lk&L`]
process exposed MicroSeismic to new opportunities and
represented a turning point for the company.
“The client suggested doing a comparison [between
downhole monitoring and surface monitoring], and the
results were rather good,” he says. The data provided from
the surface array is available in real time, and the information
can be used to more accurately place wells to maximize
extraction and minimize costs.
“People started to call, so the market drove us from our
gja_afYd[gf[]hl$Ê<mf[YfkYqk&
Lg\Yq$Ea[jgK]akea[akYd]Y\]jafl`]]e]j_af_Õ]d\g^
hYkkan]k]akea[egfalgjaf_$oal`11g^Ea[jgK]akea[Ìk
revenue coming from fracture monitoring. But despite
Ea[jgK]akea[Ìk\]egfkljYZd]km[[]kk$<mf[YfkYqkgfdq
YZgml,g^o]ddkYj][mjj]fldqegfalgj]\afl`YloYq$kg
there is still enormous room for growth.
ÉK`Yd]akkladdf]o$Ê<mf[Yffgl]k$Y\\af_l`Yll`]kaehd]
models engineers used when the market emerged were “all
ojgf_&Ê9kcfgod]\_]_jgok$aloadd\jan]l`]af[j]Yk]afl`]
percentage of wells being monitored, he predicts.
“I think, in 10 or 20 years, we won’t even frack a well
without monitoring.”

Founded
80
David D. Dunlap
Superior Energy Services
President and CEO
Houston, TX
O`]f<Yna\<&<mfdYhZ][Ye]Hj]ka\]flYf\
CEO of Superior Energy Services in 2010,
l`][gehYfq`Y\+(q]Yjkg^_jgol`Yf\
success under its belt.
Oal`<mfdYhafhdY[]$Kmh]jagjY[[]d]jYl]\
its expansion into the US land market through
l`]Y[imakalagfg^;gehd]l]Hjg\m[lagf
Services, which doubled the company’s size.
AfYegn]Z]Õllaf_Y[gehYfql`Yl
has grown both organically and through
Y[imakalagfk$<mfdYhk]lk[d]YjZgmf\Yja]k
but allows the product service lines to
exercise their own entrepreneurial spirit.
For example, when one division leader heard
^jge[mklge]jkl`Yll`]q[gmd\fglÕf\Y
good pump down-hole perforation supplier,
`]Zjgm_`lYZmkaf]kkhdYflg<mfdYh$o`gYk
a result created a new service offering.
<mfdYhna]okl`]afl]_jYlagf^gddgoaf_]Y[`
merger as a reinvention of Superior Energy
Services as it adapts to complement the new
Zmkaf]kk^gjl`]Z]f]Õlg^l`]]flaj][gehYfq&
Mf\]jf]Yl`alYdd$<mfdYh`Ykkgm_`llg
instill what he calls the “Power of One” —
a relentless desire to help customers achieve
their goals.
Category: Energy, Cleantech and Natural Resources
finalists
Founded
05
Glenn Garland
President
Jim Stimmel
Executive Vice President
CLEAResult
Austin, TX
>gj;D=9J]kmdlÌk[mklge]jk$d]kkj]Yddqak
egj]&;D=9J]kmdl$l`][gehYfq^gmf\]\
Zq?d]ff?YjdYf\Yf\BaeKlaee]daf
2005, offers a full array of energy savings
programs, and the savings they create pile
mhima[cdq&
H]j`Yhk[gmfl]jaflmalan]dq$;D=9J]kmdlÌk
primary customers are the utilities
themselves. While selling electricity and
reducing power consumption would seem to
be at odds, controlling consumption allows
utilities to lower costs. It also helps utilities
avoid the need to create new capacity, which
often is a contentious issue with communities
that are reluctant to allow new power plants
to be built.
?YjdYf\Yf\Klaee]d`Yn]Z]]fYk
]^Õ[a]floal`l`]aj[YhalYdYkl`]q]f[gmjY_]
their clients to be with their energy use. The
[gehYfqoYkYZd]lgk]d^%^mf\Yka_faÕ[Yfl
hgjlagfg^alk]Yjdq_jgol`&AfBmf]*()+$
;D=9J]kmdl]fl]j]\aflgYfY_j]]e]floal`
?]f]jYd;YlYdqkllg^mf\^mjl`]j]phYfkagf&
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Founded
92
Phil Rykhoek
Denbury Resources Inc.
Director, President and CEO
Plano, TX
Others have “been there” and “done that”
Z]^gj]<]fZmjqJ]kgmj[]k$Yf\l`YlÌkbmkl
l`]oYqH`adJqc`g]cdac]kal&
Jqc`g]c`YkeY\]<]fZmjqgf]g^l`]
largest players in the enhanced oil recovery
Õ]d\Zq^g[mkaf_gf[YjZgf\agpa\]$gj
CO2, which it pumps into old oil wells
to extract the oil other methods cannot
Y[[]kk&<]fZmjq[gfljgdkl`]dYj_]klcfgof
CO2j]k]jn]]Yklg^l`]EakkakkahhaJan]j
and the infrastructure to bring it to the oil
Õ]d\k&L`]]ph]fk]g^Y[imajaf_l`];G2
limits industry competition. The company
is working on a similar strategy for its
j]kgmj[]kafl`]Jg[cqEgmflYafj]_agf&
Gflghg^Z]af_kgda\dqhjgÕlYZd]$
<]fZmjqÌkhjg[]kkakegj]]fnajgfe]flYddq
friendly than traditional oil extraction
operations, as the CO2 used becomes
k]im]kl]j]\afl`]]Yjl`$jYl`]jl`Yf
entering the atmosphere.
25
Family Business Award

The right
fit
at the right time
Award winner_David Jaffe
President and CEO
Ascena Retail Group, Inc.
Suffern, NY
Founded: 2011

Since taking the reins, David Jaffe

has brought dressbarn to new heights.
avid Jaffe knows you can go home again. You may just need to do
kge]l`af_]dk]^gj)(q]YjkÕjkl&
O`]fBY^^]oYkÕfak`af_[gdd]_]$`ak^Yl`]j$=ddagl$lgd\`ae`]k`gmd\
gain a decade of experience before taking on the challenges of dressbarn,
l`]Zmkaf]kk=ddaglYf\`akoa^]$Jgkdqf$Z]_Yfaf)1.*&
BY^^]kh]fll`]]fkmaf_\][Y\]gfOYddKlj]]l$lYcaf_lae]gmllg]YjfYfE:9^jge
Stanford University. Upon graduation he joined the world of venture capital with a focus
on the retail and consumer products industry. It was then that he was “bitten by the
entrepreneurial bug.”
ÉA`Y\Yl]jjaÕ[[Yj]]jgfOYddKlj]]l\gaf_kge]l`af_Adgn]\$ÊBY^^]j][Yddk$Zml`]
acknowledges that venture capital, which placed his focus on investing, was a little too
hands-off for him. Other factors soon came into play as well.
“[Venture capital] was lucrative and exciting, but my wife didn’t love the idea —
alj]imaj]\Ydglg^ljYn]dYf\[jYrq`gmjk$Ê`]kYqk&ÉL`]faf)11*eq^Yl`]j[Ye]lge]
and said, ‘It’s been 10 years, there’s no obligation, but ...’ and I knew he was talking about
his own time with the company as well as mine.”
Jaffe says he realized the time was right, for both his young family and his father’s plans
for the future, for him to join the company.
But it still would be another decade before Jaffe would be named CEO.
“When I started I was given a VP title, but that just gave my father the opportunity
to say, ‘You need to spend six months in this area, then come back and we’ll talk,’ ”
Jaffe recalls of his early days with the company. “Then I would move on into

26 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013

of Excellence

Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+ 27

 Yfgl`]jYkh][lg^l`][gehYfq&Kgafl`]ÕjklÕn]lg
seven years I covered about every area of the company —
buying, the distribution center, opening new stores, you name
al&9dgf_oal`d]Yjfaf_Ydgl$Al`afcalYdkg_Yn]e][j]\aZadalq&Ê
Jaffe believes that credibility, from both the years
learning the ins and outs of dressbarn and from his work
on Wall Street, was important in moving the company from
\j]kkZYjf$Yn]jqkm[[]kk^mdj]lYad]j$lg9k[]fYJ]lYad?jgmh$
an even more successful retail group.
Not long after being named CEO, Jaffe approached the
ZgYj\g^\aj][lgjkYZgmlY[imajaf_eYmja[]k$YhjanYl]dq`]d\
400-store retail chain in the Midwest. But he was not met
with the most enthusiastic response from either his father
or the rest of the board, who wondered why he’d want to
complicate matters and “risk the golden goose.”
Jaffe notes that while they were interested in continuing
to grow, his parents and other members of the board, as
[`ad\j]fg^l`]<]hj]kkagf$o]j][gfkakl]flafl`]aj\]kaj]lg
Ynga\\]Zl&<]ZloYkmdlaeYl]dqlYc]fgf$`]Y\\k$Zmll`]
majority of it was relatively short-lived.
“I like doing
things that
people say it
can’t be done
that way, trying
to come up with
a new approach
that’s faster,
better, smarter”
28 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
<j]kkZYjfÌkkljgf_ZYdYf[]k`]]lhdYq]\Yc]qjgd]af
l`][gehYfqÌkf]plY[imakalagf$kYqkBY^^]&La_`leYjc]l
conditions were putting pressure on many retailers, including
lo]]fZjYf\j]lYad]jBmkla[]$o`a[`\j]kkZYjfÖY__]\YkY
merger target.
“We had no debt and plenty of cash,” Jaffe notes, “and
one of the reasons we were able to merge with Justice was
they had debt and were having a rough year. The banks got
nervous so they … jumped into our arms.”
In recognition of the changes taking place in the operation,
l`][gehYfqoYkj]kljm[lmj]\Yf\j]fYe]\9k[]fYaf
early 2011, with dressbarn, maurices and Justice becoming
kmZ\anakagfkg^l`]dYj_]j`gd\af_[gehYfq&9dgf_oal`l`]
name change, Jaffe implemented functional changes in the
company to take advantage of its shared infrastructure.
9[[gj\af_lgBY^^]$)/^mf[lagfk$af[dm\af_\akljaZmlagf$
accounting, lease administration and legal services, are
either centralized or in the process of being centralized.
Oal`l`]*()*Y[imakalagfg^;`Yjeaf_K`ghh]k$o`a[`
added the Lane Bryant and catherines brands to the
daf]mh$l`]j]Yj]fgoÕn]\aklaf[l]flala]k
gh]jYlaf_mf\]jl`]9k[]fYmeZj]ddY&
O`ad]l`]ZY[c%g^Õ[]ogjcak[gfkgda\Yl]\
into a single management structure (Jaffe
Y[lmYddqj]^]jklgalYkÉl`]kapl`ZjYf\Ê!$
“we take a slightly more laissez-faire
approach to the front of the operation. The
`]Y\imYjl]jkklYqkafl`]aj`ge]lgof$Yf\
we keep the management team in place
and let them drive their own front end,
because it’s what they do best.”
9k^gj`goo]dd`]Yf\9k[]fYYj]
\gaf_$l`]Õjkl)(q]Yjkg^j]kmdlkYj]n]jq
promising, and Jaffe intends to stick with
“the 10-year plan.”
He says he will follow his father’s example
for the next generation if they’re interested
in a leadership role in the family business.
“It’s about growing up, gaining maturity
and gaining skill,” Jaffe explains. “When
you come out of college you’re a lump
of clay.”
 Category: Family Business Award of Excellence

finalists Founded

36
Founded

94
Founded

58

Chad Grismer Kenneth Lofton Robison Robert I. Unanue

CEO Crest Industries, LLC Goya Foods
CEO President
Kelly Grismer Pineville, LA Secaucus, NJ
President
The Wheat Group Inc. There’s no substitute for hands-on experience, L`]j]Yj]fÌleYfqYkh][lkg^?gqY>gg\kÌ
San Diego, CA Yf\C]ff]l`Dg^lgfJgZakgfakeYcaf_l`] ^Yj%Ömf_gh]jYlagfkl`YlYj]mf^YeadaYjlg
most of his. Bob Unanue. From helping the company get
L`]?jake]jZjgl`]jkklYjl]\]YjdqYf\ JgZakgf^j]im]fldq]k[`]o]\l`]^mf its olive exporting business off the ground
just kept going. and games that take up so much of a young while still a student in Spain to his corporate
O`ad]kladdaf`a_`k[`ggd$C]ddq?jake]j man’s time in favor of learning to weld and klaflkaf;Yda^gjfaY$>dgja\YYf\Hm]jlgJa[g$
and his brother Chad were offered the operate machinery at Crest Industries, the Unanue has helped the company grow
opportunity to open their own surf/skate [gehYfq`ak^Yl`]j$Bg]ÉLm[c]jÊJgZakgf$ both alongside the Hispanic community it
k`ghoal`l`]aj^Yl`]jÌkÕfYf[aYdZY[caf_&:ml founded in 1958 out of the trunk of his car. primarily serves and beyond.
their father stipulated they would have to do With Mechanical and Electrical Engineering 9kl`]l`aj\_]f]jYlagflgd]Y\l`]
]n]jql`af_l`]ek]dn]k$^jgeÕf\af_l`]kal] degrees earned at Louisiana State University [gehYfq`ak_jYf\^Yl`]j]klYZdak`]\af)1+.$
lgeYfY_af_[Yk`Ögo&L`]Zjgl`]jklggcalY Yf\YfE:9^jgel`]Mfan]jkalqg^L]pYk MfYfm]`Yk[gflafm]\]phYf\af_?gqYÌk
kl]h^mjl`]j$eYcaf_mfaim]Y[[]kkgja]kfgl af`Yf\$Yko]ddYkYklaflYl?=$JgZakgf geographic footprint throughout the US,
available from the big name brands. still worked his way through a number l`];YjaZZ]YfYf\Z]qgf\&9f\alkhjg\m[l
That small manufacturing operation is what of positions at Crest after rejoining the line now includes beans, rice, condiments
they came back to after selling their retail company in 1992. He became CEO in 1997. and beverages.
outlets when they went off to college. The The company he took over was doing Most notably, Unanue is leading the
O`]Yl?jgmhklYjl]\gmleYcaf_kmj^Yf\ well, but in the years since, it has grown company’s healthy food initiative, leveraging
skate accessories under its own name, but the dramatically. Today Crest Industries ?gqYÌknYklf]logjcYf\\akljaZmlagf
[gehYfqima[cdqk]ar]\l`]ghhgjlmfalqlg is the holding company for a family of channels to help ensure the availability of
move into licensing when offered the chance project-oriented companies serving the proper nutrition information in the Hispanic
Zqkmj^Yf\kcYl]j]lYad]jG[]YfHY[aÕ[& electric utility, commercial and industrial [geemfalq&L`]]^^gjl`Yk_Yjf]j]\?gqY
Lg\YqL`]O`]Yl?jgmhakl`]ÉZjYf\ electrical contractor and forestry industries. recognition from First Lady Michelle Obama,
behind the brand,” producing the accessories Its revenues are nearly tenfold what they o`g`YkYkc]\?gqYlgZ]l`]\akljaZmlagf
with big-name retailers such as Skullcandy, o]j]).q]YjkY_g$Yf\JgZakgf[gflafm]klg channel to the Latino population for the
;G:J9%HME9?gd^$Eg\]jf9emk]e]flYf\ look for growth opportunities. MyPlate healthy eating campaign.
@mjd]q&9f\al`Yk]n]fj]%]fl]j]\j]lYadaf_
with its own brand, Focused Space.
Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+ 29
 “This is an industry
that gives you an
opportunity to help
people when they
have a need”

30 Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+

Financial
Services
Success?
Bank on it
Award winner_Harris H. Simmons
Chairman, President and CEO
Zions Bancorporation
Salt Lake City, UT
Founded: 1960

Zions Bancorporation banks on

regional banking, done right.

T
he 1980s were tumultuous for local banks, as they disappeared from the
dYf\k[Yh]Yf\Z][Ye]hYjlg^fYlagfYdgj_YfarYlagfk&Ragfk:Yf[gjhgjYlagf
was a dominant player in Utah, and Harris Simmons, then-CFO, saw an
ghhgjlmfalq^gjl`]afklalmlagf`ak^Yl`]j$Jgq$`Y\`]dh]\Zmad\&
Kaeegfkkl]]j]\Ragfkl`jgm_`q]Yjkg^[gfkgda\YlagfZqlYj_]laf_ZYfckaf
some of the nation’s most attractive markets. The goal? To create market-centric
banks with strong local leadership teams capable of being ultra-responsive to
[mklge]jf]]\k&Ragfkogmd\hjgna\][]fljYdar]\ZY[c%g^Õ[]k]jna[]kYf\jakc
management oversight.
F]Yjdq+(q]YjkYf\-(Y[imakalagfkdYl]j$Ragfkakgf]g^l`]dYj_]klZYfc`gd\af_
companies in the western US, operating eight subsidiary banks in 10 states.
“We still have what most people consider the most preeminent institution in
Utah, but we’ve all worked to build it into something much greater than that,” says
Simmons, who is now Chairman, President and CEO of the bank that traces its roots
lg)0/+o`]f:ja_`YeQgmf_^gmf\]\RagfÌkKYnaf_k:YfcLjmkl;gehYfq&
Each bank has its own charter and board of directors, and they are tasked with
building a great bank in their local markets. The business and community leaders
“know who’s running the place,” Simmons says. “That’s community banking in its
best sense.”
KeYdd%lge]\ame%kar]Zmkaf]kk]kYj]RagfkÌhjaeYjq[mklge]jk&ÉAÌn]k]]fgf
multiple occasions where we started off with a line of credit or a loan well under a
million, and we see that business turn into something that has revenues of

Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 31

 8
Zions is one of the
largest bank holding
companies in the
10 western US,
operating
8 subsidiary banks
500 in 10 states,
with more than
500 offices
a billion and beyond,” he says. “If you can build multi-
decade kinds of relationships with clients, that turns out to
Z]hjgÕlYZd]^gjmkYf\`]dh^mdlgl`]eZ][Ymk]l`]q`Yn]Y
ÕfYf[aYdhYjlf]jl`Ylj]Yddqmf\]jklYf\ko`Yll`]qÌj]\gaf_&Ê
In recent years, Simmons has focused on adapting
`akgj_YfarYlagflgl`]j]imaj]e]flkg^l`]<g\\%>jYfc
OYddKlj]]lJ]^gjeYf\;gfkme]jHjgl][lagf9[l$o`a[`
“We still have what most people consider the most
preeminent institution in Utah, but we’ve all worked
to build it into something much greater than that”
is pushing larger banks toward standardization and
[]fljYdarYlagf&Mf\]jl`]dYo$RagfkoaddZ]`]d\lgl`]kYe]
standards as larger national banks for stress tests to make
sure they have enough capital to absorb losses and keep
running in adverse economic seasons. Banks also must have
a living will explaining how — if they failed — the government
would wind them down.
RagfÌkKYnaf_:YfcLjmkl;gehYfqe]j_]\oal`gl`]j
ZYfcklg[j]Yl]Ragfk>ajklFYlagfYd:Yfcaf)1-/$Yf\
KaeegfkÌ^Yl`]jYkk]eZd]\Yfafn]klgj_jgmhl`YlY[imaj]\
YeYbgjalqafl]j]klafl`]ZYfcaf)1.(&JgqKaeegfkj]laj]\
as CEO in 1990 and as Chairman in 2002.
Kaeegfkbgaf]\RagfkgfYdgojmf_$Õdaf_[Yf[]d]\
checks when he was 16. He earned a degree in Economics
^jgel`]Mfan]jkalqg^MlY`Yf\YfE:9^jge@YjnYj\
University, where he wrote case studies on the banking
af\mkljq&9^l]j_jY\mYlagf$`]ogjc]\^gj9dda]\:Yf[k`Yj]k$
the same Texas institution he had studied, and learned
about energy lending.
32 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
@]j]lmjf]\lgRagfko`]fl`];>Gg^^]j]\`aeYhgkalagf
as Vice President of Finance with plans to groom him for the
CFO post. Simmons effectively functioned as CFO until he
oYkg^Õ[aYddqfYe]\kgaf)10)&AlYdkgYddgo]\`aelgogjc
alongside his father.
It was his father, in fact, who taught Simmons early on that
banking is a service business. When a local bookstore went
mhafÖYe]k$l`]k]fagjKaeegfk
saw the news story and called the
owner offering to help with a line
of credit. “This is an industry that
gives you an opportunity to help
people when they have a need,”
Simmons says.
RagfkoYkfglaeemf]lgl`]
ÕfYf[aYd[jakakg^*((0l`Yljgad]\
the banking industry. But crises like these temper people.
“It’s how they develop a sensitivity to risk and how risk
develops,” Simmons says. In response, he led his teams to
review their portfolio to see which accounts were salvageable
and focus on dramatically strengthening the company’s
capital reserves.
There is a school of thought that government should be
able to absorb all the downs in the business cycle, Simmons
kYqk$Zml`]\akY_j]]k2ÉQgmoYfllg`Yn][q[d]ko`]j]
people get burned a little bit and you end up thinning
the herd a little bit. That’s how organizations and people
get stronger.”
Lg\Yq$RagfkÌj]k]jn]kYj]Yegf_l`]kljgf_]klafl`]
industry. “We’re spending a lot of resources strengthening
our capabilities for stress testing, and I think that’s going to
be something that will help a lot in the next cycle,” he says.
“It hasn’t been a pleasant time, but some of the best learning
takes place during the most unpleasant times.”

Founded
97
Robert Carr
Heartland Payment Systems
Chairman and CEO
Princeton, NJ
Bob Carr does what’s right, even when
al[gklk`ae&9^l]jd]Ynaf_Y[Y\]eaY$
`]klYjl]\Y[gfkmdlaf_Õje$l`]fafn]kl]\
in a payments processing business. He
d]^lnajlmYddqh]ffad]kk$\akkYlakÕ]\oal`
o`Yl`][gfka\]j]\lgZ]im]klagfYZd]
pricing structures.
Instead, he started a credit card processing
business out of his basement that merged
with Heartland Bank and became Heartland
Payment Systems. Today, Heartland is the
Õ^l`%dYj_]klhYqe]flkhjg[]kkgjafl`]MK$
providing processing, e-commerce and other
services to more than 250,000 business
locations nationwide.
Carr advocates fairness and transparency.
He instituted a company directive to educate
all stakeholders about the industry’s inner
workings, empowering them to make smart
decisions about electronic payments. He
Ydkgkh]Yj`]Y\]\l`]E]j[`Yfl:addg^Ja_`lk$
promoting fair card processing practices for
business owners.
finalists
Founded
93
Annette Catino
QualCare, Inc.
CEO
Piscataway, NJ
9ff]ll];Ylafgakl`][gfkmeeYl]
relationship-builder. That’s why she learned
to play golf — to tee up connections on
l`][gmjk]&9f\l`YlÌko`qk`]dYmf[`]\
ImYd;Yj]2Z][Ymk]k`]cf]ol`]^mlmj]g^
health care would need a closer partnership
between hospitals, physicians and
insurance companies.
Catino left her hospital management
job 20 years ago to create this business.
Starting with a secretary, an analyst and a
dream to change health care in New Jersey,
she convinced many of the state’s leading
`gkhalYdkYf\\g[lgjklg^gjeImYd;Yj]&
She was persuasive — eight hospitals invested
$1 million each.
The company is a full-service managed
care organization offering self-funded
PPO and HMO insurance plans, workers’
[geh]fkYlagfYf\gl`]jhjg\m[lk&9f\oal`
l`]9^^gj\YZd];Yj]9[l_gaf_aflg]^^][l$
ImYd;Yj]akhgak]\lg[YhalYdar]gfl`]
exchange market and sell products directly
to consumers.
ImYd;Yj]lYc]kÉ[Yj]ÊYkl]h^mjl`]j$
\gfYlaf_egj]l`Yf)(g^alkhjgÕlklg
charity every year.
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Category: Financial Services
Founded
07
Renaud Laplanche
Lending Club
CEO and Founder
San Francisco, CA
Qgm[YfÌlc]]hJ]fYm\DYhdYf[`]\gof&
He’s built successful ventures amid
af[gf[]anYZd]gZklY[d]kÁloa[]&@akÕjkl$
the software company TripleHop
Technologies, suffered when the 9/11
attacks on the World Trade Center decimated
`akg^Õ[]k&>gjlmfYl]dq$`akl]YeoYkkY^]&
J]fYm\klYjl]\Yf]o$Yf\GjY[d]Zgm_`l
TripleHop in 2005.
His current enterprise, Lending Club, is
Yfgfdaf]ÕfYf[aYd[geemfalql`Ylg^^]jk
borrowers better rates on personal loans and
provides investors steady returns. From the
start, it faced several challenges. To some,
the idea of lending money to strangers on
the internet sounded risky. The Securities
Yf\=p[`Yf_];geeakkagf K=;!ogjja]\
that Lending Club and its competitors might
be selling unregistered securities.
To combat these concerns, Laplanche, a
former securities attorney, approached the
SEC. He undertook the lengthy and pricey
registration process, and his team created a
structure in which Lending Club issues the
notes, transfers money to the borrower and
the lender pays the company. Now Lending
;dmZakgf]g^l`]dYj_]klK=;Õd]jkafl`]MK&
33
 Life Sciences
“The
perfect
storm”
Award winner_Francois Nader, MD
President and CEO
NPS Pharmaceuticals
Bedminster, NJ
Founded: 1986

`]h]j^][lklgjeÈl`YlÌk`go<j&>jYf[gakFY\]j\]k[jaZ]kl`]kalmYlagf`]
faced in 2006 when he joined the NPS Pharmaceuticals executive team to lead a
restructuring and reshaping of the company’s operations, strategy and focus after
a paralyzing regulatory setback.
The then-management team was certain their lead product in development
would soon be approved. They were so certain, in fact, of being a revenue-generating
company in the very near term that they took on almost $200 million in debt —
due in just one year — without hesitation. There was no “Plan B,” which proved to
be a near-debilitating mistake.
The approval never came. The company found itself with a stock price that had
hdmee]l]\0(Yf\oal``mf\j]\kg^]ehdgq]]kalfgdgf_]jf]]\]\&
O`]f<j&FY\]jbgaf]\Yf\]pYeaf]\l`][gehYfqÌkYkk]lk$`][gf[dm\]\l`]q
could be redeployed in a new direction to create value. He moved NPS to a virtual
business model — retaining only core competencies in-house and outsourcing or
partnering the rest.
Af*((/$YkhYjlg^l`]j]^g[mkaf_$<j&FY\]jk]ll`]FHKk`ahgfYf]o[gmjk]$
refocusing development on treating Crohn’s disease and short bowel syndrome
K:K!&:gl`lj]Yle]flkYj]]da_aZd]^gjgjh`Yf\jm_\]ka_fYlagf$]flaldaf_FHKlg
k]n]fq]Yjkg^eYjc]l]p[dmkanalq&<j&FY\]jYdkgj]Ydar]\l`Yll`][gehYfqf]]\]\
aee]\aYl][Yk`Ögok&L`jgm_`da[]fkaf_YjjYf_]e]flk^gj[]jlYaf[gehgmf\kYf\
gl`]jl][`faim]k$`]oYkYZd]lgjYak]km^Õ[a]fl^mf\af_lghjgna\]ogjcaf_[YhalYd
and pay down the substantial debt.

34
 “We’ll make it happen”
has been Dr. Nader’s motto
throughout the NPS
transformation

Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+ 35

 Dr. Nader crafted the NPS culture by asking himself a simple question:
“What type of company would I like to work for?”

<j&FY\]jÌk]flj]hj]f]mjaYdoYqg^
thinking has helped NPS become the success
story it is today. Indicative of his unwavering
persistence and determination, his motto
throughout the transformation has been
jYl`]jkaehd]2ÉO]ÌddeYc]al`Yhh]f&Ê
By identifying and hiring the right talent to
^gjeYk]Ykgf]\l]Yeg^É\g]jk$Ê<j&FY\]j
strengthened the company’s capabilities,
creating a lean and agile organization in which
each employee is personally accountable
and has an opportunity to make a direct,
meaningful contribution. NPS now employs
more than 150 people and is seeking
YhhjgnYd^jgel`]><9^gjalkk][gf\gjh`Yf Culture by design
drug candidate. <j&FY\]jakhjgm\g^l`][mdlmj]`]`Ykfmjlmj]\YlFHKÈo`Yl`][Yddk
Today, NPS — bearing the motto “Born “culture by design.” He crafted the NPS culture by asking himself a simple
from science. Built for patients” — runs lean im]klagf2ÉO`Yllqh]g^[gehYfqogmd\Adac]lgogjc^gj7Ê@akYfko]j2
and mean. It no longer performs in-house a company that has integrity, respects one another, strives for excellence,
drug discovery and manufacturing. Instead, it teams with one another, has fun and maintains an entrepreneurial spirit.
outsources or partners with other companies Those are the values that NPS employees live by with an overarching view
to gain access to expertise, technology and of the “we” mentality.
facilities as needed and is now one of the
few pharmaceutical companies focused
gfÕf\af_lj]Yle]flk^gjjYj]\]ZadalYlaf_
\ak]Yk]k&Alkd]Y\hjg\m[l$?Yll]p®, for
injection for subcutaneous use, was approved
300 % Increase in NPS’s revenues
since 2011

af<][]eZ]j*()*È*.q]YjkY^l]jl`]
company was founded — for the treatment of
adult patients with SBS. It received orphan
drug designation.
46% Rise in NPS’s stock price since
Dr. Nader arrived in 2007

Egj]j][]fldq$afEYj[`*()+$<j&FY\]j
led the closing of a deal with Takeda
Pharmaceutical Company Limited, buying
back full worldwide rights to teduglutide
?Yll]p®!Yf\j`HL@)%0, FYlhYjY®!$Zgl`g^
which have the potential to serve high unmet
medical needs. The company complements
its proprietary programs with a royalty-based
portfolio of products and product candidates.
With several exciting new treatments in
the pipeline and on the verge of approval,
FHKÈoal`<j&FY\]jÌk`]dhÈ`YkeY\]
an extraordinary turnaround from failed
old-school manufacturer to cutting-edge,
nimble maverick.
>gddgoaf_<j&FY\]jÌk]pYehd]$]ehdgq]]k`Yn]d]Yjf]\lgdan]l`]
[gehYfqÌknYdm]kafkl]Y\g^j]Y\af_l`]eg^^Yhgkl]jgfl`]oYdd&<j&FY\]j
enforces transparency in all of the company’s dealings, including how he
communicates with employees. He hosts regular town hall meetings and
“What’s on Your Mind?” lunches to encourage open dialogue. He is also
involved with the selection of every NPS employee and personally welcomes
]Y[`f]o`aj]Zqafnalaf_l`]elg`akg^Õ[]^gjYfaf^gjeYd[`Yllgk]]`go
l`]qYj]\gaf_oal`l`]ajf]obgZ&<j&FY\]jhja\]k`aek]d^gf_gaf_l`]]pljY
mile to make the workplace just a little better to ensure his employees see the
lYf_aZd]j]kmdlkg^l`]ajogjc$\goflgl`]Õf]kl\]lYadk&
9kYj]kmdl$l`][mdlmj]Yf\nYdm]kg^FHKYj][geh]lalan]Y\nYflY_]kYf\
c]q\a^^]j]flaYlgjk&NgdmflYjqlmjfgn]jYegf_]ehdgq]]kakdgoÈbmkl,af
*()*&9f\^gj^mjl`]j[gfÕjeYlagfl`Yll`][mdlmj]`]`Ykaehd]e]fl]\ak
working, a number of employees he was forced to let go during that fateful
period a half-decade ago are now, once again, working for NPS.

36 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013


Founded
92
Michael W. Bonney
Cubist Pharmaceuticals
CEO
Lexington, MA
Believing success comes to the entrepreneur
who can recognize opportunities not
apparent to others, Michael Bonney led
Cubist Pharmaceuticals up and away from
potential devastation.
Gf`akÕjkl\YqYk`]Y\g^;mZaklaf*((+$
Bonney was informed that its pneumonia
drug Cubicin, a major component of Cubist’s
kljYl]_q$`Y\^Yad]\hYjlg^alk><9ljaYd&:ml
Bonney was convinced the antibiotic would
save lives and absolutely should be approved.
Coupling his conviction with hard work,
Bonney developed a sound strategy that
included additional research, and Cubicin
kmZk]im]fldqk][mj]\><9YhhjgnYd&
Bonney engages employees to increase
Cubist’s growth by undertaking calculated
risks. He seeks to introduce one new drug
application every 18 months, and his plans
to expand include global partnerships and
hgl]flaYdE9Y[lanalq&Afhmjkmalg^l`]k]
_gYdk$;mZaklY[imaj]\9\gdgj;gjh&af
late 2011, a move that has helped the
company develop several drugs it expects
to become blockbusters.
Category: Life Sciences
finalists
Founded
00
Mark Douglas
Fischer-Colbrie
President and CEO
Rich Ellson
Co-founder
Labcyte Inc.
Sunnyvale, CA
For scientists who work with tiny droplets
g^daima\$Ja[`=ddkgfÌkafn]flagf`YkZ]]f
fgl`af_d]kkl`YfljYfk^gjeYlan]2egnaf_Öma\
with sound. Ellson pioneered using acoustic
waves to precisely measure and move minute
Yegmflkg^daima\&Af*((($=ddkgf[geZaf]\
`akk[a]flaÕ[Y[`a]n]e]floal`EYjc<gm_dYk
Fischer-Colbrie’s strategic business leadership
to form Labcyte.
>ak[`]j%;gdZja]_ma\]\l`]Ö]\_daf_
company through its early cash-challenged
years. Under his guidance, Labcyte expanded
kdgodqYf\bm\a[agmkdq$mkaf_hjgÕlklg^mf\
technological innovation. The impressive
j]kmdlk2Zj]Yc%]n]fgjhgkalan]=:AL<9oal`fg
need for outside capital.
9kea_`lZ]]ph][l]\$DYZ[ql]ÌkdYj_]kl
[mklge]jZYk]akh`YjeY[]mla[YdÕjek&:ml
now it is expanding into new markets. Through
automation and new software, the company’s
Y[gmkla[e]Ykmj]e]fll][`faim]akZ]af_mk]\
af_]fgea[k$hjgl]gea[k l`]klm\qg^hjgl]afk!
and molecular diagnostics.
Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+ 37
 Media,
Entertainment
and Communications

The long and winding

road to success
AKQA Founder Tom Bedecarré proves that
the path to success may not always be direct,
but it’s almost always worth it.

Award winner_Tom Bedecarré

CEO
AKQA
San Francisco, CA
Founded: 2000

38 Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+

39

arly signs of entrepreneurial character
were evident when Tom Bedecarré, Founder
Yf\;`YajeYfg^9CI9$l`]ogjd\ÌkdYj_]kl
independent digital advertising agency, began
gf]g^`akÕjklbgZk$\]dan]jaf_f]okhYh]jk&
<mjaf_`akÕjklo]]c$l`]hYh]jYffgmf[]\
its annual customer service awards, to be given
to the best carriers.
“I was brand new,” he recalls, “and went to each customer on
my route, introduced myself and told them I wanted
to become the best carrier and would appreciate it if they
would vote for me.”
Bedecarré won the competition, which his manager couldn’t
believe. “I made a personal connection with my customers and
\]dan]j]\YimYdalqhjgeak]$Ê`]kYqk&
Bedecarré went to Stanford University intending to be a
liberal arts major, perhaps going on to attend law school or
enter government or politics. He interned with Leon Panetta,
who was a freshman congressman at the time. “Just being
afOYk`af_lgf$<;$Amf\]jklgg\Aogmd\oYfllgZ]doing
things, not just talking about or arguing issues,” he says.
His time and course load at Stanford spurred his interest
in computers, technology and innovation, interests
complemented by the love of communication he developed at
Fgjl`o]kl]jfMfan]jkalqÌkC]ddg__K[`ggdg^EYfY_]e]fl&
“I was really interested in communication more than
soap or dog food or whatever products someone might be
handling as a brand manager,” Bedecarré recalls. He soon
developed a passion for advertising during his early days at
G_adnqEYl`]jafF]oQgjc&
The three-piece entrepreneurial puzzle now intact,
:]\][Yjj†^gmf\]\9CI9af*(((afl`]ea\\d]g^l`]\gl%[ge
bubble by helping to bring together four companies. “[My
partners and I] had a vision about how devices would be
connected, how media and communications would be shifting
to digital,” he recalls. “We thought how the skills of both an
ad agency and technology web development shop combined
would create something new.”
Then the dot-com bubble burst.
It was in this crisis that Bedecarré used all those skills he had
d]Yjf]\l`jgm_`l`]q]Yjk&Af*(()9CI9d]l_gYZgml.(
40 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
“I think you have
to be shamelessly
optimistic and
positive about
customers and
the future”
g^l`]h]ghd]al`Y\bmklZjgm_`llg_]l`]j&@][dgk]\g^Õ[]k&
Partners with whom Bedecarré had worked for more than a
decade were asked to leave, and the remaining management
members loaned money back to the company to pay the
]ehdgq]]ko`go]j]j]lYaf]\Yf\c]]h[Yk`Ögohgkalan]&
Through those tough times, Bedecarré maintained focus on
digital advertising, considered by many to be a risky strategy.
“We reached out to key clients,” he says, “almost all of which
we still have today. We had to hang on tight to the client
relationships we had and get through the bottom.”
9CI9o]Yl`]j]\l`]klgjeYf\akfgo]fbgqaf__j]Yl
ÕfYf[aYdklj]f_l`&Oal`alkYZadalqlghjgna\]Zgl`Y\n]jlakaf_
and technology expertise, clients are offered website
development, e-commerce, social media, mobile app
development, search engine marketing, data analytics and
\a_alYdhjg\m[l\]ka_fk]jna[]k&>mjl`]jhjgg^g^9CI9Ìk
km[[]kkakalkj][]flY[imakalagfZqOHH&9CI9[gflafm]klg
operate as an independent brand within WPP.
Bedecarré credits his team’s technical acumen for the
[j]\aZadalq9CI9`Yk]Yjf]\^jgel`]l][`fgdg_q$AL$;AG
Yf\;LG^mf[lagfkoal`afl`]aj[da]flkÌgj_YfarYlagfk&9f\`ak
team’s creativity is an important factor in the relationships
formed with marketing teams.
“We work with big Fortune 1000 companies, and they
don’t want a bunch of amateurs hanging around,” he says.
“Our clients think our creativity and style can really connect
Yf\]f_Y_]l`]aj[mklge]jk&Gmj_gYdaklgÕf\h]ghd]l`Yl
can talk the talk on technology but then walk the walk in
communications and messaging and creativity.”
Bedecarré is unwavering in his belief in innovation and
l][`fgdg_q2ÉAl`afcqgm`Yn]lgZ]k`Ye]d]kkdqghlaeakla[
and positive about customers and the future to be in the
advertising marketing space.”
Today Bedecarré says he is excited to see the vision put
\gofgfhYh]j)+q]YjkY_gZ][ge]j]Ydalq&:ml`][gflafm]k
to look forward.
“Things are changing so fast,” he says. “Now we are going
through a whole round of shifting our business from just
communications to actually helping clients build devices, build
platforms and build connected experiences.”

Founded
07
Daniel Caruso
Zayo Group
President and CEO
Boulder, CO
<Yfa]d;YjmkgYhhda]\`akafka_`l$
knowledge, courage and drive, along with
`akimYjl]j[]flmjqg^]ph]ja]f[]afl`]
telecommunications and internet industries,
lg^gmf\RYqg?jgmh$l`]_dgZYdhjgna\]j
g^ZYf\oa\l`af^jYkljm[lmj]k]jna[]k&RYqg
?jgmhÌk[mjj]flf]logjc^gglhjaflklj]l[`]k
/,$+((jgml]ead]k$hjgna\af_[gff][lanalq
in and between major metropolitan areas on
\]fk]e]ljgYf\afl]j[alqÕZ]jYkk]lk&
@akkcaddafd]n]jY_af_ÕfYf[aYdeYjc]lk
]fYZd]kRYqg?jgmhlg_jgol`jgm_`
Y[imakalagfk&LgY[`a]n]ghlaeYd_jgol`$
;Yjmkg`Ykkg^Yjd]\l`]Y[imakalagfg^egj]
than two dozen companies created during
the telecommunications boom of the 1990s
Yf\l`YlkmZk]im]fldqkmjnan]\l`]\gl%[ge
meltdown of the early 2000s.
9egf_gl`]jhjg^]kkagfYdYf\[geemfalq
efforts, Caruso co-teaches a class on raising
n]flmj][YhalYdYf\hjanYl]]imalqYll`]
University of Colorado — Boulder in its
D]]\kE:9Hjg_jYe&
Category: Media, Entertainment and Communications
Founded
27
finalists
Popolo
Freeman
Parsons Freeman
Donald S. Freeman
Chairman
Carrie Freeman Parsons
Vice Chairman
Joe Popolo
CEO
Freeman
Dallas, TX
The combined entrepreneurial talents of
three individuals have transformed Freeman
from a trade show and event company
into a strategic partner with its customers,
providing everything from event planning
and preparation to post-event evaluation.
Building on the pioneering strength of the
dYl]<gfYd\K&>j]]eYf$Kj&ak`akkgf<gfYd\
S. Freeman, Jr., who, alongside his son-in-
law, Joseph V. Popolo, Jr., and daughter,
Carrie Freeman Parsons, has made Freeman
a dominant player in its market, serving
-.g^l`]*-(dYj_]klMKljY\]k`gokoal`
proprietary tools created to personalize
the customer experience and measure and
imYfla^qZ]kl%af%[dYkkk]jna[]&9egf_l`]
[gehYfqÌkÕfYf[aYdkm[[]kk]kYf\`gfgjkakalk mobile phone provider. Success with the
role as general contractor for the International f]on]flmj]`Yk[ge]jYha\dq2J]hmZda[fgo
;gfkme]j=d][ljgfa[kK`go ;=K!$l`]
second-largest trade show in the world.
9f\\]khal]Z]af_Yf0-%q]Yj%gd\^Yeadq
business, the entrepreneurial spirit lives on.
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Founded
99
David Morken
Bandwidth
CEO and Co-founder
Raleigh, NC
9je]\oal`YZ]da]^af`akl][`fgdg_a[Yd
acumen and lacking fear of taking on
af\mkljq_aYflk$<Yna\Egjc]fdYmf[`]\
Bandwidth in a spare bedroom of his
family’s apartment. His hard work and
perseverance have made Bandwidth,
which offers business voice-over-IP phone
systems and internet access services to
small and medium-sized businesses, a major
telecommunications player.
Today, Bandwidth powers leading, instantly
recognizable technology brands. The
company has had extraordinary success with
_jgkkYffmYdkYd]kmh,-^jge*()(lg
2012. Bandwidth expects continued growth
and plans to add 200 employees over the
f]pll`j]]q]Yjklgalk[mjj]fljgkl]jg^+((&
Part of that growth is expected from
J]hmZda[Oaj]d]kk$Y\anakagfg^:Yf\oa\l`
launched in 2011. Once again taking on
af\mkljq_aYflk$J]hmZda[akYOa%>aÇ[]flja[
has partnerships with several well-known
players in the mobile communications and
technology industries.
41
“You don’t need
to be a rocket
scientist to start
your own business.
You just have to be
totally committed”

42
Retail and
Consumer Products
Inspiration, found in the
most unexpected places
Award winner_Nick Woodman
Founder and CEO
GoPro
San Mateo, CA
Founded: 2002
GoPro creates a video market
for the sports enthusiast.
ometimes inspiration comes when it’s
least expected. For Nick Woodman, Founder
Yf\;=Gg^?gHjg$al[Ye]gfYkmjÕf_
ljahoal``akoa^]o`]f`]oYfl]\lgÕf\Y
Z]ll]joYqlgÕde`akhjgo]kkgfl`]ZgYj\&
9fYna\kmj^]j$Ogg\eYf`Y\dgf_j]Ydar]\
how frustrating it was for surfers to get great
shots and footage of themselves while they
o]j]ja\af_l`]oYn]k&9ddl`YloYkYnYadYZd]
at the time were disposable cameras attached
lgl`]ajojaklk&L`]h`glgimYdalqoYkl]jjaZd]$
`go]n]j$Yf\l`][Ye]jYkg^l]fÖ]og^^$
sometimes hitting surfers in the face.
To counter that possibility, Woodman
thought of developing a wearable camera that
could be secured with a wrist strap and worn
\mjaf_]plj]e]khgjlkdac]kcaaf_Yf\kmjÕf_&
Just as important, the camera would take
`a_`%imYdalqh`glgk&
That concept turned into the catalyst for
Ogg\eYflg^gmf\?gHjg$o`a[`fgo`gd\k
a commanding share of the US video camera
eYjc]lÈmhlg--o`]fkh][aYdlq[`Yff]d
shops are included.
Ironically, Woodman’s inspiration came as
he was trying to recover from the failure of his
Õjklafl]jf]lZmkaf]kk$YeYjc]laf_klYjl%mh
he’d launched after graduating from college.
While he raised some $4 million in venture
capital and made all the right moves, the
company didn’t survive the dot-com crash.
Failure was one thing, but the stress of
losing other people’s money forced Woodman
to reassess his goals and focus on building a
Zmkaf]kkZYk]\gfYljm]hYkkagf2kmjÕf_&
Passion in the pursuit of excellence
The journey from concept to development
wasn’t an easy one as Woodman set out to
]klYZdak`?gHjg&Hd]\_af_fgllgY[[]hlYfq
outside cash after the crash of his start-up,
Woodman and his wife sold bead and shell
belts from Bali to raise seed money. He kept
the company small, hiring family members
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 43
 and close friends who shared his passion.
He also put in 16-hour days, sometimes not
even sleeping as he perfected the product.
O`]fl`]Õjkleg\]doYkj]Y\q$
Woodman personally drove to surf shops to
demonstrate and sell the camera. “You don’t
need to be a rocket scientist to start your
own business,” Woodman says. “You just
have to be totally committed.”
The small company grew steadily. But
when business really began to pick up,
Woodman recognized he couldn’t do
everything himself and sought help from
beyond his inner circle.
“I kept the overhead low and didn’t hire
many people,” Woodman says, noting
“My biggest challenge was learning how
to go from the leader of a very small team
and small business to understanding how
I needed to surround myself with people
much more experienced and stronger than
I was,” explains Woodman.
Riding the YouTube wave
9lalkklYjl$?gHjgoYkhjaeYjadqYojakl
camera for surfers. YouTube changed
l`]]imYlagf$oal`na\]gimYdalqj]hdY[af_
h`glgimYdalqYkl`]hjaeYjq\jan]jg^
Zmq]j\][akagfk&?gHjge]ll`]k`a^laf
consumer interests and focused on building
outstanding video cameras, introducing its
Õjkl`a_`%\]Õfalagfna\]g[Ye]jYaf*((1&
?gHjgÌkhghmdYjalqgfQgmLmZ]Ydkg
[gfÕjekl`Yll`][gehYfqakk]ddaf_
egj]l`Yfbmkl[Ye]jYk3alakYdkg`]dhaf_
customers share meaningful experiences
gfdaf]&?gHjg]fYZd]kYeYl]mjYl`d]l]k
dac]EYll`aYk?ajYm\Èo`gkh][aYdar]kaf
backcountry skiing, mountain climbing and
cliff-jumping — to establish their own online
ZjYf\&Oal`]nYf_]daklkdac]?ajYm\$?gHjg
has built its own network of athletes who
share the same vision Woodman had when
`]^gmf\]\l`][gehYfq2k`Yjaf_l`]aj
exploits with others.
Fgo$Ogg\eYfYf\?gHjgYj]k[Ydaf_
f]o`]a_`lk&Af9m_mkl$?gHjgkhgfkgj]\
Yk[a]flaÕ[]phdgjYlagflg9dYkcY$o`]j]Y

“My biggest challenge was learning how to go from the leader of a very
small team and small business to understanding how I needed to surround
myself with people much more experienced and stronger than I was”

that success came close to overwhelming
?gHjgÌkgja_afYdl]Ye&ÉAj]Ydar]\l`YlA`Y\
lgÕf\h]ghd]o`g[gmd\lYc]l`]j]afklg
scale the business and identify the different
organizations we needed to build out.”
Bringing in outside talent helped
transform the business. With a strong
]p][mlan]l]YeafhdY[]$?gHjg`YkjYha\dq
built out its infrastructure, increasing
`]Y\[gmfl^jge)+-]ehdgq]]klgegj]
than 400 within the last year.
YouTube has become a powerful
eYjc]laf_[`Yff]d$lmjfaf_?gHjgaflg
one of the most engaged brands in social
media, according to Inc., as measured by
ZjYf\Ym\a]f[]jYl]g^]f_Y_]e]fl&?gHjgÌk
passionate fan base of 5 million customers
`YkjY[c]\mh*+-eaddagfna]okgfl`]
?gHjgF]logjcgfQgmLmZ]&?gHjgna\]gk
dac]l`]gf]g^YegmflYafZac]jaf9^ja[Y
colliding with a gazelle have gone viral to the
tune of more than 12 million hits.
team led by rocket scientist Ben Longmier
dYmf[`]\+(o]Yl`]jZYddggfkdgY\]\oal`
?gHjg[Ye]jYkaflgl`]YmjgjYZgj]Ydak&
L`]aj_gYd7LgÕdel`]Fgjl`]jfDa_`lk^jge
within the aurora.
Woodman may not claim to be a rocket
scientist, but the aurora borealis expedition
just offers more proof that no challenges are
lgg`a_`^gj?gHjg]fl`mkaYklklg[gfim]j&

44 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013


Founded
04
Daniel Lubetzky
KIND Healthy Snacks
Founder and CEO
New York, NY
CAF<@]Ydl`qKfY[ckg^^]jkhjgg^l`Yll`]
gd\Y\Y_]$É9dalld]Zalg^caf\f]kk_g]kYdgf_
way,” still rings true.
>gmf\]\af*((,Zq;=G<Yfa]dDmZ]lrcq$
the “healthy food” company follows a core set
of beliefs and principles inspired by his father,
a Holocaust survivor who believed kindness
can be found even during the darkest times.
Lubetzky applied that concept to his business,
encouraging customers to “do the kind thing”
for their body by selling all-natural products
made from whole nuts and other ingredients,
and for the world by performing one random
act of kindness each day.
9lÕjkl$]n]ffYlmjYd^gg\klgj]kj]b][l]\
CAF<^jgel`]ajk]d][lagfg^ÉfmljalagfÊZYjk
because nothing else like it existed — all other
products were made of emulsions or pastes,
as opposed to whole nuts and fruits — and
they did not know where to stock it. Once
DmZ]lrcq_glCAF<gfl`]k`]dn]k$`go]n]j$
sales soared and have doubled every year
kaf[]*()(&J][g_faraf_CAF<Ìkkm[[]kk$
other manufacturers have attempted —
unsuccessfully — to janYdCAF<afl`]hjg\m[l
alhagf]]j]\&Lg\YqCAF<[gflafm]klgZ]
the fastest growing company in the broader
nutrition category.
Category: Retail and Consumer Products
finalists
Founded
18
David M. Sokolsky
Daisy Brand
President and CEO
Dallas, TX
O`]f<Yna\Kgcgdkcqlggcgn]jl`]j]afk
g^<Yakq:jYf\af)11+$l`][gehYfq`]d\
Y-eYjc]lk`Yj]&9dl`gm_`alkgd\Y^mdd
portfolio of dairy-related products — from
butter to cream cheese — none were market
d]Y\]jk&J][g_faraf_l`][gehYfq\a\fgl
have the resources to dominate such a broad
market, Sokolsky sold all the product lines
except sour cream. His strategy turned out to
be a natural foundation for success.
Lg\Yq<Yakq:jYf\`gd\kY+-eYjc]l
share in sour cream, markets the second
highest-ranked brand of cottage cheese and
ak_jgoaf_YlYfYffmYdjYl]g^)(lg)-&
Sokolsky continues to focus on innovation,
extending the shelf life of sour cream
^jge*lg),o]]ck$aehjgnaf_imYdalqYf\
afljg\m[af_9e]ja[YÌkÕjklda_`lkgmj[j]Ye&
L`jgm_`alYdd$<Yakq:jYf\kkladd
encourages consumers to “do a dollop.”
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Founded
14
Jim Weber
Brooks Sports, Inc.
CEO
Bothell, WA
9kYqgmf_ZgqafEaff]kglY$BaeO]Z]j
spent hours skating across frozen ponds and
hockey rinks. But he made his mark in the
sports world by trading in his hockey skates
for running shoes.
9^l]j_jY\mYlaf_^jgel`]Lm[cK[`ggd
g^:mkaf]kkYl<Yjlegml`;gdd]_]$O]Z]j
progressed steadily from company to
company, ultimately joining the Brooks
Khgjlk:gYj\g^<aj][lgjk&O`]fl`]
[gehYfqÌkÕfYf[aYdh]j^gjeYf[]kdahh]\af
*(()$O]Z]jkl]hh]\afYk;=G&@]ima[cdq
determined that Brooks Sports’ best route
to recovery lay in forging a strong brand as a
retailer of high-performance running shoes.
His new strategy moved the company away
from longtime retail partners and non-core
hjg\m[lk$k`jafcaf_j]n]fm]afl`]Õjklq]Yj&
But in every year since, Brooks Sports has
posted double-digit revenue growth.
To stay at the front of the pack, Weber
brought together a team of innovative
shoemakers who have spearheaded
breakthroughs in running technology. One
]pYehd]$l`]:jggck<F9$akYhYl]fl%h]f\af_
smart cushioning system that adapts to each
jmff]jÌkmfaim]jmffaf_klqd]&
45
Services
a Zestimate
and a dream
Award winner_Spencer Rascoff
CEO
Zillow, Inc.
Seattle, WA
Founded: 2005

h]f[]jJYk[g^^`YkYkljYa_`l^gjoYj\lah^gj
]flj]hj]f]mjaYdkm[[]kk2eYc]kmj]qgmÌj]fgll`]
smartest person in the room.
“I’ve found that a pretty common mistake people
make when they get promoted up the corporate ladder
is that they hire people who are less competent than
l`]qYj]$ÊJYk[g^^kYqk&ÉAÌn]YdoYqk\gf]l`]ghhgkal]&EqbgZaklg
recruit, retain and motivate incredibly talented people.”
JYk[g^^fglgfdq`YkhjY[la[]\o`Yl`]Ìkhj]Y[`]\$Zml`]`Yk
perfected the approach in a series of extraordinary entrepreneurial
successes. His career spans from summer internships at NBC News
Yf\:dggeZ]j_lgl`]lghkhglYlRaddgo&L`][gehYfqgh]jYl]kl`]
leading real estate and home-related information marketplaces on
mobile devices and the internet, with a complementary portfolio
g^ZjYf\kYf\hjg\m[lklg`]dhh]ghd]Õf\nalYdaf^gjeYlagfYZgml
homes and connect them with the best local professionals.
AfY\\alagflgalko]Zkal]k$af[dm\af_Raddgo&[ge$RaddgogofkYf\
operates several products and services to help consumers through
]n]jqklY_]g^`ge]gof]jk`ah&LgfYe]Y^]o2RaddgoEgZad]$
Ykmal]g^`ge]%j]dYl]\egZad]Yhhda[Ylagfk3RaddgoEgjl_Y_]
EYjc]lhdY[]$o`]j]Zgjjgo]jk[Yf[gff][loal`d]f\]jklgÕf\
dgYfkYf\gZlYaf[geh]lalan]egjl_Y_]jYl]k3Raddgo<a_k$Y
home improvement marketplace that gives consumers visual
afkhajYlagfYf\dg[Yd[gkl]klaeYl]k3Yf\RaddgoJ]flYdk$Y
eYjc]lhdY[]Yf\kmal]g^lggdk^gjj]flYdhjg^]kkagfYdk&9f\g^
[gmjk]l`]j]akl`]R]klaeYl]`ge]nYdmYlagf$RaddgoÌk]klaeYl]\
market value computed with a proprietary formula.
ÉRaddgoj]hj]k]flkYddl`af_k`ge]%j]dYl]\$ÊJYk[g^^]phdYafk&
ÉO`]l`]jqgmYj]Zmqaf_$k]ddaf_$j]flaf_gjZgjjgoaf_$Raddgoak
there for you.”

46 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013

 “We saw an
opportunity to
empower the consumer
in real estate. We liked
the idea of putting the
power of information
in the hands of
the consumer”

Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+ 47

 “Out of college I followed the siren call of Wall Street.
It wasn’t entrepreneurial enough. The culture was
one of creating wealth, not creating value”
The route to this
multifaceted success has,
in a sense, brought
JYk[g^^ZY[clgo`]j]`ak
hjg^]kkagfYd[Yj]]jZ]_Yf&9kYj][g_far]\d]Y\]jafl`]j]Yd
estate industry, he regularly appears on CNBC, Bloomberg TV
and Fox News.
:]ka\]k$`]Y\\k$ÉRaddgoak$afYf\g^alk]d^$Ye]\aY
[gehYfq&Ê@]kYqkl`YlRaddgo`Ykegj]mk]jkgfegZad]
devices than on the desktop, pointing out that 120 homes are
viewed every second via mobile devices.
JYk[g^^Ydkgkh]Yck^j]im]fldqlgklm\]flk$]flj]hj]f]mjk
and executives at Harvard Business School — yet another trip
back home. He graduated cum laude from Harvard University
oal`Y\]_j]]af?gn]jfe]fl$ZmloYkfÌlkmj]o`Yl`]
oYfl]\lg\gf]pl&9^l]j`akF:;Yf\:dggeZ]j_afl]jfk`ahk$
however, he realized that media was not the direction he
wanted to go.
“Out of college I followed the siren call of Wall Street,” he
says, but he found that was not his calling either. “It wasn’t
entrepreneurial enough. The culture was one of creating
wealth, not creating value.”
@]kh]fllae]YkYhjanYl]]imalqafn]klgjYlLH?;YhalYd
Yf\YkYfafn]kle]flZYfc]jYl?gd\eYfKY[`k&O`ad]YlLH?
in 2000, he wrote the business plan for a travel company
to compete with Priceline.com and raised $75 million to
launch what came to be known as Hotwire.com. Once
@gloaj]Z][Ye]Ykm[[]kk$JYk[g^^`aj]\?gd\eYfKY[`klg
lYc]l`][gehYfqhmZda[af*((+&:mll`]hdYfoYkk[mlld]\
when Expedia called and offered to buy the company for
$685 million.
9^l]jl`]Y[imakalagf$JYk[g^^kh]flgf]q]YjYl=ph]\aY
as Vice President of Lodging,
=ph]\aYÌkdYj_]klYf\egklhjgÕlYZd]
business line. But his entrepreneurial
l`ajkloYk^Yj^jgekYlakÕ]\&JYk[g^^
called one of the original members
of the team at Expedia, Lloyd Frink,
who also was a factor in Expedia
“I begin every one-on-one meeting by asking,
‘Is there anything I can do for you?’ I believe I exist
to make my direct reports more successful”
48 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Y[imajaf_@gloaj]&>jafcafljg\m[]\`aelgJa[`:Yjlgf$
=ph]\aYÌk^gmf\]j$Yf\l`]l`j]]l]Ye]\mhlgklYjlRaddgo&
“We saw an opportunity to empower the consumer in real
estate,” he says. “We liked the idea of putting the power of
information in the hands of the consumer.”
JYk[g^^Z]_YfYk;`a]^EYjc]laf_G^Õ[]jYf\YdkgZja]Öq
k]jn]\Yk;`a]^>afYf[aYdG^Õ[]j&@]l`]fhml`akeYfY_]e]fl
philosophy to work by surrounding himself with other smart
h]ghd]&Log]pYehd]k2`]`aj]\9eq:g`mlafkcq$l`]<aj][lgj
of Corporate Communications at Hotwire, to be the new Chief
EYjc]laf_G^Õ[]j$Yf\`]`aj]\;`Y\;g`]f$l`]9kkaklYfl
;gfljgdd]jYlLa[c]leYkl]j$lgZ]l`]f]oRaddgo;>G&
L`akYddgo]\JYk[g^^lgegn]mhl`]dY\\]jYf\lg^Y[adalYl]
even more success.
“I begin every one-on-one meeting by asking, ‘Is there
anything I can do for you?’ I believe I exist to make my direct
reports more successful,” he says. “I exist to serve my
employees rather than the other way around.”
9k;GGaf*((0$JYk[g^^`]dh]\fYna_Yl]l`][gehYfq
l`jgm_`l`]ogjkl][gfgea[[jakakkaf[]l`]?j]Yl<]hj]kkagf&
He was able to keep the core team together and retain
the brightest employees while also working to shift the
company’s concentration from product development to sales
and monetization.
Hjgegl]\lg;=GafK]hl]eZ]j*()($JYk[g^^_ma\]\
Raddgolgj][gj\afl]jf]lYf\egZad]ljY^Õ[$Yko]ddYkj][gj\
j]n]fm]Yf\hjgÕlYZadalq&Mf\]j`akd]Y\]jk`ah$RaddgoYdkg
completed its IPO in July 2011.
L`jgm_`alYdd$JYk[g^^ÌkYhhjgY[`lgl`]l]Yee]eZ]jk
Yjgmf\`aej]eYafkl`]kYe]2ÉAlÌkYddYZgmleYcaf_l`]e
successful. If they succeed, I succeed.”

Founded
78
Janice Bryant Howroyd Stephen Mooney
ACT-1 Group, Inc.
CEO
Torrance, CA
Af)1/.$]imahh]\oal`1((Yf\hd]flq
of ambition, Janice Bryant Howroyd
left her North Carolina hometown and
headed out on a path that would lead to
extraordinary entrepreneurial success. Just
logq]YjkdYl]j$k`]^gmf\]\9;L%)?jgmh$
Y\an]jkaÕ]\eYfY_]e]flÕjel`Yl`]dhk
its customers optimize their talent pools
through innovative technologies and
business services.
Howroyd is committed to “keeping
the humanity” in human resources. She
`Yk_jgof9;L%)?jgmh$YhjanYl]dq`]d\
California corporation, into the largest
zero-debt, woman- and minority-owned
ogjc^gj[]eYfY_]e]flÕjeafl`]fYlagf&
Her passion for establishing
client-for-life relationships with job
seekers, client companies and human
capital professionals has enabled her to
turn a successful domestic business into
Yogjd\%[dYkk_dgZYd]fl]jhjak]&9kl`]
company expands into various international
markets, Howroyd continues to stress the
importance of identifying local resources to
enhance the talent-procurement process.
Founded
08
finalists
Conifer Health Solutions
President and CEO
Frisco, TX
Starting with an initial investment received
Yll`]h]Ycg^l`]MKÕfYf[aYd[jakakaf*((0$
Stephen Mooney has led Conifer Health
Solutions to become a nearly billion-dollar
company helping hospital systems balance
`a_`%imYdalq[Yj]oal`Y`]Ydl`qZgllgedaf]&
Mooney’s vision to provide a revenue cycle
management solution set the standard in
l`]Õ]d\&:qYdd]naYlaf_`]YnqY\eafakljYlan]
burdens such as patient scheduling,
registration, coding, billing, collections and
follow-up, Conifer allows hospitals to focus
gfl`]ajeakkagfg^hjgna\af_imYdalq[Yj]
and promoting health in the communities
they serve.
The industry demand for Conifer’s services
ak]na\]flafl`]ÕjeÌk]phgf]flaYd_jgol`&
In one recent 12-month period alone, Conifer
Y\\]\-$+((]ehdgq]]kYf\ka_faÕ[Yfldq
grew revenue. Through it all, Mooney has
promoted a “high-touch culture” that creates
an environment of collaboration, compassion
and enthusiasm for the company’s health
care mission.
Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+
Category: Services
Founded
08
Tony Michael Riggs
Jack Cooper Holdings
Chairman
Kansas City, MO
>gddgoaf_l`]*((/Ç(0][gfgea[[jYk`$
Jack Cooper Transport was in danger of
becoming yet another casualty of the auto
industry’s economic woes, so the 80-year-old
CYfkYk;alq%ZYk]\[Yj`Ymd]j\a\kge]l`af_
mfmkmYd2allmjf]\lgalkem[`keYdd]j
[geh]lalgj$9[lan]LjYfkhgjl$^gjj]da]^&
9f\o`qfgl79[lan]LjYfkhgjloYk
`]Y\]\ZqEac]Ja__k$o`g`Y\]klYZdak`]\
himself as a turnaround expert through
his remarkable successes at other
[gehYfa]k&9[lan]LjYfkhgjl$af^Y[l$`Y\
been a struggling company with revenues
g^+0eaddagfYf\Yfgh]jYlaf_dgkkg^
0(($(((o`]fJa__kY[imaj]\al&Oal`afY
year, earnings had grown nearly tenfold.
Today, Jack Cooper Holdings is the
largest trucking-based car hauler in the US,
specializing in the transportation of new
YmlgegZad]kYf\da_`lljm[ck&Ja__kÌhdYfk^gj
the future include continuing to improve the
core car haul business and diversifying into
more global businesses.
49
 “We are
data hounds”

50 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013

Technology
Alpha
personalities
wanted
Award winner_Tony Aquila
Founder, Chairman and CEO
Solera Holdings, Inc.
Westlake, TX
Founded: 2005

gfq9imadY$;`YajeYfg^l`]:gYj\$Hj]ka\]flYf\;=GYlKgd]jY@gd\af_k$
Z]da]n]kl`]j]Yj]l`j]]lqh]kg^]ehdgq]]kYf\d]Y\]jk2;`Yjda]k$:jYngk
Yf\9dh`Yk&
É;`Yjda]Êaf\ana\mYdkYj]^g[mk]\0(gfk]d^%eakkagfYf\gfdq*(gfl`]
l]YeÌkeakkagf&É:jYngÊaf\ana\mYdkYj]^g[mk]\-(gfk]d^%eakkagfYf\-(gfl`]
l]Yeeakkagf&É9dh`YÊaf\ana\mYdkYj]^g[mk]\*(gfk]d^%eakkagfYf\0(gfl`]
team’s mission.
O`]fal[ge]klgd]Y\]jk`ah$9imadYhj]^]jk9dh`Yk$o`g`]kYqkYj]Kgd]jYÌk
mission-critical drivers.
9f\[]jlYafdq9imadYÈo`g`Ykk]jn]\YkHj]ka\]flYf\;=Gkaf[]9hjad*((-Yf\
as Chairman of the Board since Solera’s 2007 IPO — is very much mission-focused
himself. His intensity and concentration have driven him to create the world’s leading
provider of software and services to the automobile claims-processing industry.
“I’m only limited by the limitations I put on myself,” he says. “I love having the
opportunity to create whatever I want to create and raise the capital to do it, bring the
h]ghd]lg_]l`]jYf\_g^gj\akjmhlan]l][`fgdg_a]k&9f\Adgn]l`]^Y[ll`Ylh]ghd]kYq
ËQgmÌj][jYrqÌafl`]Z]_affaf_Yf\l`]fÕn]q]YjkdYl]jl`]qkYqËO`YlY_j]Yla\]Y&ÌÊ
9k]jaYd]flj]hj]f]mj$9imadY^gmf\]\EYpE]q]j9e]ja[Y YkmZka\aYjqg^EYpE]q]j
<m[g$K&h&9&g^AlYdq!$Yfaehgjl]jYf\\akljaZmlgjg^=mjgh]Yfj]Õfak`af_hjg\m[lk&
@]kgd\l`YlZmkaf]kkaf)11/lgHH?Af\mklja]kZ]^gj]^gmf\af_kg^loYj]l][`fgdg_q
[gehYfq=fk]jY$o`a[`oYkkmZk]im]fldqkgd\af*(()lgEal[`]ddAfl]jfYlagfYd$
o`]j]9imadYk]jn]\YkHj]ka\]flYf\;GG&
9lKgd]jY$`]`Yk[j]Yl]\Yf\afkladd]\Yk]lg^gj_YfarYlagfYdhjaf[ahd]kl`Yl
encourage and foster an environment of innovation, high performance and

Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 51


63
Since 2010, Solera has grown two-and-a-half
times in revenue and created software in
16 languages and 40 dialects serving 63 countries
outstanding results. His communication style is to focus
on the output of the mission, rather than the input of the
af\ana\mYd&9f\`akafl]fkalq$o`a[``]kYqkakk`Yj]\ZqYddg^
Solera’s leaders, goes a long way to explain the company’s
extraordinary success.
“What differentiates us is ‘the Solera way,’ ” he says.
ÉO]Yj]loa[]YkhjgÕlYZd]h]j\gddYjYkYfqZg\qafgmj
industry, and that’s really driven by the culture of the
[gehYfq&O]`Yn]+$(((Ykkg[aYl]kYjgmf\l`]ogjd\&
We run a decentralized model but a common culture in all
these countries, and it allows for innovation.”
Solera companies leverage each other to develop and
deliver the latest technologies, market intelligence and best
practices to more than 75,000 customers.
ÉO]Yj]\YlY`gmf\k$Ê9imadY]phdYafk&ÉO][j]Yl]Yddl`]
data for the insurance industry when it comes to repairing
vehicles or intelligent databases around the drivers, history of
l`]n]`a[d]&Kga^qgmcfgol`]imYdalqg^l`]n]`a[d]Yf\l`]
imYdalqg^l`]h]jkgf$qgm[Yfafkmj]l`Yln]`a[d]Z]ll]j&Ê
AfZmad\af_l`]emdla%gh]jYlagfYdklj]f_l`g^Kgd]jY$9imadY
has relied on wisdom derived from more than 20 years
of global experience in the manufacturing, distribution,
automotive software and collision-repair industries. He also
has co-invented and patented several products.
Solera’s nimble dodging (not to mention incredible growth
Yf\km[[]kk!`YkZ]]fhYjldq^m]d]\l`jgm_`k`j]o\Yf\
]^^][lan]Y[imakalagfk&9imadYk[jmlafar]kljYfkY[lagfkmkaf_Y
philosophy of MMC — management, margin and core. He asks
l`j]]im]klagfk2<g]kl`]lYj_]l`Yn]l`]ja_`leYfY_]e]fl
l]Ye7<gl`]q`Yn]eYj_af79j]l`]q[gj]lgl`]Zmkaf]kk7
If the answers are yes, the transaction is consummated.
52 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
“I’m only limited by the
limitations I put on myself”
The approach works. Since 2010, Solera has grown
two-and-a-half times in revenue, created software in
).dYf_mY_]kYf\,(\aYd][lkk]jnaf_.+[gmflja]k$Yf\`Yk
egj]l`Yf-(eYjc]lk`Yj]Èoal`hdYfk^gj/-eYjc]l
share by 2020.
9kqgm[YfaeY_af]$9imadY`YkY__j]kkan]hdYfklg
achieve that market share (plus penetration in 100
[gmflja]k!Zq*(*(&L`gk]hdYfkYj]ZYk]\fglgfdqgf
kljYl]_a[Y[imakalagfk$ZmlYdkggfYkljgf_Z]da]^afl`]
Kgd]jYl][`fgdg_qhdYl^gje&9imadYak[gfnaf[]\l`YlKgd]jYÌk
platform provides an ideal opportunity to manage households
in their entirety — running all the operations of a house
by 2020.
“We have a culture of innovation, and we really pride
gmjk]dn]kafl`]YZadalqlg_]ll`]bgZ\gf]ima[cdqYf\
_]g_jYh`a[Yddq]phYf\Yddgn]jl`]ogjd\$Ê9imadYkYqk&:mlYk
kljgf_Ykl`][gehYfqak$9imadYak]n]j%na_adYflY_Yafkl
competitive threats. “There is a bullet out there with Solera’s
name on it,” he says. “Unless we are constantly innovating
and disrupting business models, we will be the one that gets
the bullet and we will be disrupted.”
L`YlÌko`Ylc]]hk9imadY$Yf\l`]gl`]j9dh`YkYlKgd]jY$
^g[mk]\gfl`][gj]eakkagf2]pl]f\af_l`]Kgd]jYoYqaflg
every household around the world.

Founded
94
Steven V. Abramson
Universal Display Corporation
President and CEO
Ewing, NJ
You might say that a light went on in
Kl]n]f9ZjYekgfÌk`]Y\o`]f`]oYk
introduced to the concept of organic
da_`l%]eallaf_\ag\]k GD=<k!&@aknakagfoYk
to take the nascent idea of the relatively
mfcfgofGD=<l][`fgdg_qYf\j]Ydar]alk
tremendous potential in everyday products.
9fYllgjf]q$9ZjYekgf[Ye]lgl`]
Õ]d\l`jgm_``ak^ja]f\K`]joafK]da_kg`f$
o`g^gmf\]\Mfan]jkYd<akhdYqaf)11,&
9ZjYekgflggcl`]`]deg^l`][gehYfqaf
1996. Under his leadership, the company’s
revenue grew more than 40 times over the
last 10 years.
AloYk9ZjYekgfÌk]q]^gjaffgnYlagfl`Yl
propelled the company’s remarkable growth
through development of next-generation
GD=<l][`fgdg_a]k&Af*()*$l`][gehYfq
purchased the entire worldwide patent
hgjl^gdagg^egj]l`Yf)$*((GD=<hYl]flk
Yf\hYl]flYhhda[Ylagfk^jge>mbaÕde
Corporation, thus securing an even stronger
market position.
finalists
Founded
04
Ashar Aziz
FireEye, Inc.
Founder, Chairman and CTO
Milpitas, CA
9kY)+%q]Yj%gd\_jgoaf_mhafAkdYeYZY\$
HYcaklYf$9k`Yj9rar`Y\YhdYf2`]ogmd\
study hard, go to the US and attend MIT.
That he persevered with his plan and
achieved his goal is testimony to both his
vision and his determination, and those
attributes are likewise at the root of his
success with FireEye.
L`]klgjqg^>aj]=q]klYjl]\oal`\]Õfaf_
the severity of the problem of malware.
What began as primarily a nuisance created
Zql]]fY_]`Y[c]jk$9rarkYoYkYl`j]Yl
that could become the primary tool for crime,
espionage and technological warfare. He set
about to create a defense system to combat
the threat, and he succeeded.
Today, FireEye protects the assets and
IP of some of the biggest companies and
organizations around the world, from
technology companies and consumer product
[gjhgjYlagfklgÕfYf[aYdafklalmlagfkYf\
government agencies. Today, less than
10 years since its founding, the FireEye
solution protects more than 1,000 customers
Yf\hYjlf]jk$af[dm\af_Ydegkl+(g^l`]
Fortune 100 and more than 60 critical federal
agencies, from advanced cyber-attacks.
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Category: Technology
Founded
04
Paul Forster
Co-founder and Senior Advisor
Rony Kahan
Co-founder and CEO
Indeed
Austin, TX
Indeed has thrived since its inception in
2004 by having a laser focus on being the
best place for job seekers to search for
bgZkYf\^gj]ehdgq]jklgÕf\l`]ja_`l
candidates. Indeed.com distinguishes itself
by enabling users to do a simple search and
j][]an]Ydaklaf_g^YddbgZkYnYadYZd]Õllaf_
the search criteria.
Under the leadership of entrepreneurs
JgfqCY`YfYf\HYmd>gjkl]j$Af\]]\`Yk
expanded into more than 50 countries
oal`egj]l`Yf)((eaddagfmfaim]nakalgjk
Yf\+ZaddagfbgZk]Yj[`]kh]jegfl`&
In 2012 alone, the company saw revenues
nearly double.
This phenomenal success has been
achieved despite the fact that Indeed
launched into a marketplace already
saturated with established key players.
Nevertheless, in 2012 more people were
hired through Indeed.com than from its
four largest competitors combined.
53
 Venture Capital
Award of Excellence

ix entrepreneurs from four companies were selected

as recipients of the eighth annual EY Venture Capital
9oYj\g^=p[]dd]f[]$o`a[`j][g_far]kl`]jgd]l`Yl
venture capital plays in the US economic recovery and
in the development of high-growth companies.
N]flmj]%ZY[c]\[gehYfa]k[gflafm]lg`Yn]Yhjg^gmf\aehY[l2
^gjl`]q]Yj]f\af_<][]eZ]j+)$*()*$-)n]flmj]%ZY[c]\
companies that went public on US exchanges raised $21.8 billion
afhjg[]]\k$Y))*af[j]Yk]^jge*())&
Afl]jekg^klYf\gml_jgol`$o]Õf\\jYeYla[]na\]f[]g^
venture capital’s contribution when we look at the nominees and
ÕfYdaklkg^l`]=flj]hj]f]mjG^L`]Q]Yj*()+MKHjg_jYe&G^l`]
.,1[gehYfqÕfYdaklk$l`]j]n]fm]g^l`gk]ZY[c]\Zqn]flmj]
[YhalYd_j]ol`]^Ykl]klYl))(gn]jl`]hYkllogq]Yjk&Afl]jek
of employment, these businesses bypassed all others in their
_jgol`jYl]g^0.afl`]kYe]h]jag\&
L`]9oYj\ak[g%khgfkgj]\ZqKimYj]):Yfc&
This year’s judges were Jeff Fagnan, Partner, Atlas Venture;
Steve Goldberg, Partner, Venrock; Rick Heitzmann, Founder and
Managing Director, FirstMark Capital; and Adele C. Oliva, Partner,
Quaker Partners.

54 Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+


Aneel Bhusri David Duffield
Chairman, Co-founder and Co-CEO Co-founder and Co-CEO
Workday
Pleasanton, CA | Founded: 2005
:]^gj][g%^gmf\af_Ogjc\Yq$<Yna\<m^Õ]d\Yf\9f]]d:`mkja
ogjc]\lg_]l`]jYlYfgl`]jafl]jf]l%ZYk]\Z]f]Õlk[gehYfq$
and although they made exceptional progress, their company
oYkmdlaeYl]dqY[imaj]\ZqYdYj_]j[geh]lalgj&
Out of that episode came a continued desire to work together
Yf\l`][j]Ylagfg^Ogjc\Yq$o`a[``Ykima[cdq_jgoflgZ][ge]
a leader in enterprise cloud applications for human resources,
ÕfYf[]Yf\YfYdqla[k&
Considering the risk in organizing Workday among
competitors that are big players in the technology industry,
:`mkjaYf\<m^Õ]d\j][jmal]\l`]Z]kll`afc]jkYf\]f_af]]jk
in the business technology space. They also initially funded
Ogjc\Yqoal`<m^Õ]d\Ìkh]jkgfYdafn]kle]flYf\ZY[caf_^jge
?j]qdg[cHYjlf]jk$l`]n]flmj][YhalYdÕjeo`]j]:`mkja`Y\
served as a partner.
L`jgm_`gmll`]kmZk]im]flk]n]fq]Yjk$Ogjc\Yqkm[[]kk^mddq
secured additional rounds of funding before going public
in October 2012. The company has demonstrated robust
investor interest in vendors of cloud-based applications, with
k`Yj]kkgYjaf_Yf\Y[mklge]jZYk]l`Ylfgo]p[]]\k+((Yf\
continues to grow.
2013 award winners
Mary Fisher
SkinMedica
CEO
Carlsbad, CA | Founded: 1999
:madlgfka_faÕ[Yfl^mf\k^jged]Y\af_`]Ydl`[Yj]n]flmj]
[YhalYdÕjek$KcafE]\a[YklYjl]\YkYkh][aYdlqh`YjeY
company with skin care products. For years, the company
kljm__d]\lgeYc]YhjgÕlo`ad]gh]jYlaf_log\aklaf[l
\anakagfk2fgf%hj]k[jahlagfkcaf[Yj]Yf\hj]k[jahlagf
dermatology, which was stagnant.
When Mary Fisher joined as CEO in 2008, she had
a vision to transform the organization by growing
the aesthetic skin care division while divesting the
prescription business. SkinMedica’s original investors,
coming mostly from a pharmaceutical venture
background, were initially against this plan.
But in a bold move, Fisher sold off SkinMedica’s
prescription business, enabling the company to repay debt
Yf\hYqk`Yj]`gd\]jkYka_faÕ[Yfl\ana\]f\$j]lmjfaf_
roughly one-third of invested capital. Within a year, she
successfully turned the company around — it now sees
consistent annual double-digit sales growth with an
aehjgn]\Zgllgedaf]Yf\gn]jYddÕfYf[aYdklj]f_l`&
Af<][]eZ]j*()*$KcafE]\a[YÌknYdm]oYk]na\]f[]\
o`]f9dd]j_YfY[imaj]\l`][gehYfq$]klYZdak`af_Y
eYjc]l%d]Y\af_ljYfkY[lagfYf\j]kmdlaf_afY`m_]JGAlg
remaining investors.
Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+ 55
Venture Capital Award of Excellence 2013 award winners
Paul Forster Rony Kahan
Co-founder and Senior Advisor Co-founder and CEO
Indeed
Austin, TX | Founded: 2004
<mjaf_l`]Õjklq]Yjl`Yl[g%^gmf\]jkHYmd>gjkl]jYf\JgfqCY`Yf
started Indeed, they were almost entirely bootstrapped. In 2005,
n]flmj][YhalYdhdYq]\Yka_faÕ[Yfljgd]af`]dhaf_l`]ej]Y[`
hjgÕlYZadalq$oal`Ykaf_d]jgmf\g^^mf\af_^jgeMfagfKimYj]
N]flmj]k$FQLYf\9dd]f;g&
Indeed’s success can also be attributed to the co-founders’ strategy
of releasing only one product — job search — with the mission of
developing it to be the absolute best in the industry.
CY`YfYf\>gjkl]jhj]nagmkdq`Y\[g%^gmf\]\bgZkafl`]egf]q&[ge$
YbgZk]Yj[`kal]^gjÕfYf[aYdhjg^]kkagfYdk$Yf\kgd\allg>afYf[aYd
F]okaf*((+&L`]qlggcl`]]ph]ja]f[]l`]q_Yaf]\Yf\Yhhda]\l`]
pay-per-click model to the hiring space. In every market, Indeed has
_Yaf]\l`]dgqYdlqg^bgZk]]c]jkZqhmllaf_l`]ajafl]j]klkÕjklYf\
providing the best possible job search experience.
Af\]]\fgo`Ykkal]kaf-+[gmflja]kYf\akYnYadYZd]af
*.dYf_mY_]k&AfG[lgZ]j*()*$Af\]]\oYkY[imaj]\Zq
BYhYf%ZYk]\J][jmal;g&Dl\&afgf]g^l`]Õn]dYj_]klY[imakalagfk
of venture-backed companies that year.
56 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Renaud Laplanche
Lending Club
CEO and Founder
San Francisco, CA | Founded: 2006
9^l]j[gfl]ehdYlaf_o`q`]k`gmd\hYq)0afl]j]klgf
`ak[j]\al[Yj\ZYdYf[]lgYZYfcl`YlhYqk`ae)&-gf`ak
\]hgkalk$J]fYm\DYhdYf[`]\][a\]\lg[j]Yl]D]f\af_;dmZ&
J]egnaf_ZYfck^jgel`]]imYlagf$l`][gehYfqÌkgfdaf]
platform is designed to connect investors with borrowers and
cut out a large portion of costs involved.
When the credit crisis hit in 2008, Laplanche boosted
afn]klgj[gfÕ\]f[]Zqafn]klaf_`akgofegf]qaflgl`]
loans Lending Club makes. He targeted borrowers with
good-to-excellent credit, and investors began to reap
steady returns.
Now, Lending Club is one of the largest issuers of
personal loans in the US, and it’s attracting money from
venture capital investors in one of the hottest VC markets.
The company’s shareholders include the most reputable
technology investors, and its board of directors includes
some of the biggest names from banking and government.
Lending Club has more than doubled its business each
year since its founding.
 9dmefa[geemfalq

You’re in great company

Congratulations to the EY Entrepreneur
Of The Year 2013 Award winners!
You are now a member of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year
alumni community, which represents a lifetime network of the
most elite entrepreneurs in the world.

An unparalleled network of insight and leadership

Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni community members are job creators, industry
pioneers and disruptive innovators. You’re in great company, and this award is just
the beginning!
L`]Z]f]Õlk]pl]f\]\lgl`]Ydmefa[geemfalqhjgna\]Yda^]dgf_ghhgjlmfalqlg
meet and learn from other high-growth leaders, share experiences, identify new
business opportunities, receive support and gain valuable insights. What does this
mean for you?
Acclaim: Participate in a vetted group of the best entrepreneurs nationally and globally
Community: 9[[]kkY_dgZYdf]logjcg^`a_`%_jgol`h]]jk^gj[gff][lagfkYf\afka_`lk
Growth: Challenge yourself to think differently and reach new heights

Connect globally
9[geemfalqg^]flj]hj]f]mjkakYhgo]j^md^gj[]&L`]=QOaff]jkF]logjcakY
hjanYl]gfdaf][geemfalq[gfkaklaf_]p[dmkan]dqg^=Q=flj]hj]f]mjG^L`]Q]Yj9oYj\
oaff]jk&L`ako]Zkal]oadd`]dhqgm2

Connect Share Address Access

Ima[cdq[gff][loal` Share news, industry 9\\j]kk[gfÕ\]flaYd 9[[]kk]p[dmkan]
your peers around insights, trends and business challenges events, publicity
the globe best practices with the help of opportunities
your peers and resources

Get started at eoywinnersnetwork.com.

“You can sit back and wonder, or just get started.

Sometimes in the action of doing,
the answer comes to you”
Hamdi Ulukaya
Founder and CEO, Chobani, Inc.

58 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013


You’re working hard
to improve your world.
Be recognized for it.
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive
and well. We witness it each day in
our businesses, our communities
and our world, with each fresh idea,
innovative approach and success
we see.
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™
Program shows how fostering the
spirit of innovation is making the
most successful businesses thrive.
© 2013 Ernst & Young LLP. All Rights Reserved. ED 1014.
If you’ve been inspired by a successful
entrepreneur in your community — or
are one yourself — submit a nomination
for our Entrepreneur Of The Year 2014
Program. Deadline for completed
nominations is March 14, 2014.
To learn more or to request nomination
materials, call +1 800 755 2927 or
visit us at ey.com/us/eoy.
Nationally sponsored by
EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013

Entrepreneurship
perfected
World Entrepreneur Of The Year
Award winner_Hamdi Ulukaya
Founder and CEO
Chobani, Inc.
United States
Founded: 2005

“The US is an amazing country

that welcomes so many people
from around the world and provides
opportunities for everyone”

H
amdi Ulukaya came to the US to learn English
by studying at universities in the Northeast,
but got more education than he bargained
for when he went from student to Founder
and CEO of the best-selling yogurt brand
in the country. Hailing his meteoric rise to
km[[]kk$=QfYe]\MdmcYqYOgjd\=flj]hj]f]mjG^L`]Q]Yj*()+&
He accepted the award on 8Bmf]*()+\mjaf_Y[]j]egfqaf
Monte Carlo’s Salle des Étoiles.
MdmcYqYÌk;`gZYfa$Af[&$[geeYf\kf]YjdqY*(k`Yj]g^
the US yogurt market and is expanding globally. It took Ulukaya
^]o]jl`Yfkapq]Yjklg[gfn]jlYjmf\gof^gje]jCjY^l^Y[lgjqaf
upstate New York into an operation with annual sales approaching
MK)Zaddagf&;`gZYfaYhh]Yjkgfk`]dn]kafl`]MK$MCYf\9mkljYdaY&
“Entrepreneurs create the foundation on which job growth
and economic advancement are built around the world,” says
EYjcO]afZ]j_]j$?dgZYd;`YajeYfYf\;=Gg^=Q&ÉL`]q
create opportunities not only for their employees, but for their
communities. Hamdi achieved these feats and more, making him a
winning choice for EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year.”
L`]^Y[lgjqhjg[]kk]kYZgml+eaddagfhgmf\kg^
milk per day and churns out some 1.6 million cases
of yogurt every week. Ulukaya’s created more than
)$*((bgZkafF]oQgjcYdgf]&Af<][]eZ]j*()*$
the company opened a state-of-the-art factory in
Loaf>Yddk$A<&;Yddaf_all`]ogjd\ÌkdYj_]klqg_mjl
manufacturing plant, the company invested US$450 million to
[gfkljm[ll`])eaddagf%kimYj]%^ggl^Y[adalq&
L`]bm\_]kha[c]\MdmcYqY^jgeYegf_,1[gmfljqÕfYdaklk
who vied for the title across 47 countries. Each contestant already
had been named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year in his or her
home country.
É@Ye\ah]jkgfaÕ]kl`]]flj]hj]f]mjaYdkhajalYf\akYj]Ydjgd]
eg\]d^gjYfqYkhajaf_]flj]hj]f]mj$ÊkYa\Jg\ja_g@]jj]jY$
[`Yajg^l`]bm\_af_hYf]dYf\;=GYf\;`YajeYfg^?]fgeeY
Lab Internacional. “The judges were impressed by his courage
and perseverance.”
Ulukaya initially planned to venture far from the family business.
They were cheese-makers in his native Turkey. His goal was to attend
business school, but a visit from his father in 1996 steered him back

60 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013


to tradition. “I gave my father some feta cheese one day and he said that if
this was the best they had here, that I should go into the business myself,”
he says.
Ulukaya began importing cheese to sell locally and eventually bought a
small plant in upstate New York to start Euphrates, Inc. His success running
Yo`gd]kYd]^]lY[`]]k][gehYfqhjgehl]\`aelgimalZmkaf]kkk[`ggdYf\
focus on the business.
Q]YjkdYl]j$MdmcYqYkYoYÖq]jY\n]jlakaf_Ykggf%lg%Z]YZYf\gf]\
qg_mjl^Y[lgjqgof]\ZqCjY^l&@]Õjkllgkk]\l`]hYh]jafl`]ljYk`$Zml
then took another look, called the realtor and drove to the facility the next
day for a tour.
L`]^Y[lgjqoYk^mf[lagfYd$Zmlalj]eaf\]\`aeg^Y[]e]l]jq&9ogjc
crew was present, turning off water, cutting off the lights and preparing to
shutter the facility. Ulukaya bought the factory — against the advice of his
Chobani at a glance
Annual sales: US$1 billion
Employees: 2,200
;`YjalYZd]\gfYlagf2)(g^hjgÕlk
Corporate motto: Go Real
dYoq]jÈmkaf_KeYdd:mkaf]kk9\eafakljYlagfdgYfkYf\
ZYfcÕfYf[af_$Yf\`]`aj]\^gmj^gje]jCjY^l]ehdgq]]k$
plus a yogurt maker from Turkey, to help bring it back
to life.
“You can sit back and wonder, or just get started,”
he says. “Sometimes in the action of doing, the answer
comes to you.”
L`]Yfko]joYk?j]]cqg_mjl&9ll`]lae]$aehgjl]\
?j]]cqg_mjloYkZ][geaf_egj]hghmdYjafl`]MK$
particularly with consumers who had moved to the States
from Europe. “I didn’t want to make yogurt just for the
]l`fa[eYjc]l$`go]n]j3AoYfl]\lgeYc]al^gjl`]
masses,” Ulukaya says.
@]fYe]\l`]hjg\m[l;`gZYfa Lmjcak`^gjk`]h`]j\!$
and after perfecting the recipe, Ulukaya was ready to test
l`]eYjc]l&9keYddj]lYad]jgfDgf_AkdYf\_gll`]Õjkl
lYkl]&@Ye\ak`ahh]\l`]klgj]+(([Yk]kg^qg_mjlafÕn]
ÖYngjk&9^l]jYk]]eaf_dq]f\d]kko]]c$l`]gof]j[Ydd]\
for another shipment.
Ulukaya designed a cup and logo to distinguish the
Chobani brand on store shelves, and he convinced
KlghK`ghlgklg[calYdgf_ka\]gl`]jfYlagfYddqcfgof
brands. Two weeks later, the buyer ordered more, asking,
“What are you guys putting in that cup?”
Ulukaya knew they were onto something. He sent his
sales director to secure more grocery store deals, while
Ulukaya focused on manufacturing and marketing. He
used digital “word of mouth” to market the product via
social media.
Since winning EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year,
;`gZYfakoal[`]\alklY_daf]^jgeÉFgl`af_:ml?gg\Êlg
É?gJ]Yd$Êj]Ö][laf_alkh`adgkgh`ql`YlÉJ]Ydak[jY^l]\$
Yml`]fla[Yf\kaehd]&Bmkldac]qg_mjlk`gmd\Z]&J]Yd
makes simple ingredients taste simply indulgent.”
“Chobani’s plants are rooted in strong farming
communities, where hard work and openness is respected
and valued,” Ulukaya says. “I wanted to make that culture
part of our own.”
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 61
EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year

Congratulations to our
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year country winners
Argentina Colombia Israel New Zealand Spain
Martín Migoya Mario Hernández Eyal Waldman Craig Heatley María del Mar
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j Founder and President Chairman, President and Serial Entrepreneur Raventós Chalbaud
?dgZYfl EYjjgimaf]jY ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j @]Yld]q?jgmh President
Mellanox Technologies Ltd. ?jmhg;g\gjfŠm
Australia Czech Republic Nigeria
Anthony Podesta František Piškanin Italy Aliko Dangote Sweden
Founder Founder Alberto Bombassei President and Peter Gunnar Bronsman
McMillan Shakespeare HOPI s.r.o. President Chief Executive Founder and
:j]eZgK&h&9& <Yf_gl]Af\mklja]kDl\& ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Austria Denmark CghhYjZ]j_k:jq__]ja9:
Dr. Christoph Guger Jan Jacobsen Japan Norway
Founder and ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j Dr. Hiroshi Matsumura Harald Ulrik Sverdrup Switzerland
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Anders Østergaard
Chairman Executive Chairman Dr. Riccardo Braglia
Dr. Günther Edlinger <]flYd;gjhgjYlagf C&9&JYkemkk]f ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Lgcmk`afcYa?jgmh @]dkaff@gd\af_K9
Founder and Monjasa Philippines
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j Jordan
Estonia Jaime I. Ayala Taiwan
?m_]jL][`fgdg_a]k Akram Khreis
Dr. Ruth Oltjer
Founder and President Franz Chen
Belgium ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j Hybrid Social Solutions, Inc. Founder and
Owner and Chief
Guido Vanherpe International Beverages ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j Poland
;gfkmdlYf[q A:;!?jgmh Franz Collection Inc.
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j ;`]ea%H`Yje9K Ewald Raben
DYDgjjYaf]:Yc]jq?jgmh Kazakhstan Turkey
Finland ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Brazil Askar Baitassov JYZ]f?jgmh Dr. Şükrü Bozluolçay
Kim Väisänen EYfY_af_<aj][lgj
Marco Stefanini Chairman
Founder and Russia
9:J]klYmjYflk Bozlu Holding
President and ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j Andrey Romanenko
:dYf[[g?jgmh Korea Uganda
Chairman of the Board
Stefanini IT Solutions Yoon Soo (Gene) Yoon
France IAOA?jgmh Emmanuel Katongole
Canada Chairman ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Jean-Luc Petithuguenin Yf\;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j Serbia
Alan Ulsifer ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j ImYdalq;`]ea[Yd
>AD9?dgZYd Darko Budeč Industries Ltd.
President and HYhj][?jgmh
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j Chairman Founder
9[mk`f]l;gehYfq :M;C\&g&g&
United Kingdom
FYidoctors Germany
Sven Bauer Lance Uggla
Chile Malaysia Singapore ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Jorge Pacheco Dr. Chia Song Kun John Lim Markit
:ER:Yll]ja]f
Founder and ?jgmhEYfY_af_<aj][lgj ?jgmh;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
EgflY_]%R]fljme%?eZ@ United States
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j IDJ]kgmj[]k:`\ 9J99kk]lEYfY_]e]fl
Empresas Marítimas India Limited Hamdi Ulukaya
Gpp]YfK&9& Mexico Founder and
Adi Godrej Slovak Republic
Lorenzo Barrera Segovia ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Chairman
China — Hong Kong Founder and Dr. Vladimír Levársky Chobani, Inc.
?g\j]b?jgmh
Michael Wu ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Chairman and :Yf[g:9K= OMS, spol. s r.o.
Uruguay
Indonesia
EYfY_af_<aj][lgj Budiarto Halim Orlando Dovat
@gf_Cgf_EYpaeÌk?jgmh Netherlands South Africa ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Paul Nijhof Sipho Nkosi RgfYe†ja[Y
China — Mainland PT Erajaya Swasembada Tbk.
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j ;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Dr. Ma Weihua Ireland J>K@gddYf\@gd\af_:&N& Exxaro
=p][mlan]<aj][lgj$ Dr. Edmond Harty
Bank President and
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
;`a]^=p][mlan]G^Õ[]j
Yf\L][`fa[Yd<aj][lgj
China Merchants
<YajqeYkl]j
Bank Co., Ltd.

62 Exceptional Special Edition Fgn]eZ]j*()+

 © 2013 EYGM Limited. All Rights Reserved. ED: 0914
WHO WILL INSPIRE US NEXT?
Inspiration comes from the most unexpected
places, from a whiz kid in a dorm to a visionary
world leader. So when we look for the next big
idea, we look everywhere. And then we bring it
to Monaco.
Join us 4-8 June 2014 at EY World Entrepreneur
Of The Year™ and see for yourself. Inspiration
has no boundaries or borders.
ey.com/weoy
 EY Entrepreneurial
Winning Women

e believe that women-owned businesses have the potential

to ignite our economy and become powerful engines of
economic growth.
But though women start businesses at nearly twice the
jYl]g^e]fYf\gof,.g^l`]hjanYl]dq`]d\Õjekafl`]
US, women-owned businesses are much less likely to reach
and exceed $1 million in revenue.
Six years ago, we launched EY Entrepreneurial Winning
Women to help the “missing middle” (second-stage women
entrepreneurs whose companies show great potential to scale
Za_!Z][ge]eYjc]ld]Y\]jk&L`akYffmYd[geh]lalagfYf\d]Y\]jk`ah
hjg_jYeafljg\m[]khYjla[ahYflklgYfafÖm]flaYdf]logjcg^Y[[gehdak`]\
entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, investors and advisors, as well as potential
partners, strategic allies, customers and suppliers, who can help them think bigger,
scale their companies and realize their full potential.

64 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013

 Scaling up
L`]hjg_jYe`]dhkhYjla[ahYflk^g[mkgfÕn][jm[aYdYj]Yk2
1 Thinking big and being bold — underscoring women’s capacity
lgdYmf[`$_jgoYf\jmfZa_[gehYfa]k&J]k]llaf_l`]ajka_`lklg
reach higher by aiming higher.
2 :mad\af_YhmZda[hjgÔd] — making the promotion of their
companies and of themselves as successful entrepreneurs a
strategic priority. Providing access to public relations resources,
messaging and media preparation.
3 Working on the business, not in it — hiring, compensating and
retaining the talent needed so they can hand over daily operational
details in order to focus on more strategic business-building.
4 Finding and establishing the right networks — meeting
industry leaders, accomplished entrepreneurs and advisors who
can provide the resources and/or insights needed to catalyze
sustainable growth.
5 =nYdmYlaf_ÔfYf[af_^gj]phYfkagf — providing advice on
strategic investment strategies along with introductions to
ZYfc]jk$n]flmj][YhalYdaklkYf\hjanYl]]imalqafn]klgjko`g[Yf
provide the capital needed for long-term growth.
EY is helping women
entrepreneurs take flight.
Join us in congratulating the
EY Entrepreneurial Winning
Women Fgjl`9e]ja[Y
;dYkkg^*()+Èd]lÌk`]dh
them soar!
9f\l`]hjg_jYeakogjcaf_&9faf\]h]f\]flYkk]kke]flZq
Babson College found that participant companies have averaged
growth of nearly 50% per year and a corresponding 26% growth
in the number of jobs they provide. You can read more about
the results, along with case studies of program participants, in our
report Thinking big: how to accelerate the growth of women-owned
companies, which will be updated in early 2014.
We are proud of this year’s class of Entrepreneurial Winning
Women. These 12 entrepreneurs from the US and Canada represent
businesses that range widely — from personalized medicine to
jet aircraft charters to cyber security. They have an average
of $7.8 million in yearly sales, 42 employees and seven years
in business.
Exceptional Special Edition November 2013 65
Meet the Entrepreneurial Winning Women Class of 2013 –
outstanding entrepreneurs who are redefining how women
leaders grow their companies.
Raegan Moya-Jones
aden + anais Inc
New York, NY
aden + anais imports,
designs and markets
a classic baby product
oal`Yloakl2emkdafkoY\\daf_ZdYfc]lk&
The lightweight blankets are perfect
for keeping babies cool in summer.
From a home-based business launched in
2004, aden + anais has grown to more
than 2,800 retail clients such as Neiman
EYj[mk$:dggeaf_\Yd]kYf\:YZa]kÉJÊMk$
all clamoring for the company’s rapidly
expanding product line.
Julia Beardwood
Beardwood&Co. LLC
New York, NY
:]Yj\ogg\;g&$
founded in 2004, has
made its mark taking an
uncommon approach to product branding
Yf\Y\n]jlakaf_2]da[alaf_]eglagfYdj]Y[lagfk
based on needs, wants and dreams, and
putting clients’ end users at the center
of its campaigns. Today, the company
counts among its clients a roster of globally
cfgof[gfkme]jhjg\m[lk$fgfhjgÕlkYf\
business-to-business brands, and hopes to
leverage its clients’ branding and advertising
km[[]kk]k Yf\alkgofZdgkkgeaf_j]hmlYlagf!
to further entrench itself as a leading
Y_]f[q%g^%[`ga[]afl`]F]oQgjc$9kaY
Yf\MCeYjc]lk&
66 Exceptional Special Edition November 2013
Kelsey Ramsden
Belvedere Place
Development, KRS
West Kelowna, BC
Canada
Belvedere Place
<]n]dghe]flakYfaf]%q]Yj%gd\_]f]jYd
and civil contractor. Based in British
Columbia, the company that began with
small roadway projects now constructs
large-scale infrastructure, including roads,
bridges, dams and airports. Looking to grow
globally, Belvedere is on track to expand
from Western Canada into emerging markets
where fast-growing populations mean high
demand for infrastructure development.
Denise Wilson
Desert Jet
Orange County, CA
<]k]jlB]lakYaeaf_lg
be the most exclusive,
innovative — and
cost-effective — aircraft management and
charter company in the US. By chartering the
extra capacity of privately owned aircraft,
<]k]jlB]l`]dhkgof]jk_]f]jYl]j]n]fm]lg
offset the cost of airplane ownership. Now,
l`]kap%q]Yj%gd\[gehYfqakogjcaf_gfÖ]]l
expansion and adding even more innovative
luxury services, including airplane valet and
luxury golf and resort packages.
Corin Mullins
HapiFoods Group Inc.
Sechelt, BC
Canada
HapiFoods is the
manufacturer of the
revolutionary Holy Crap vegan breakfast
cereal line, born in 2009 from the desire
for a great-tasting cereal safe for people
with food allergies. Now, HapiFoods products
are also favorites of athletes, diabetics,
dieters — even astronauts, who brought the
[]jlaÕ]\gj_Yfa[$fgf%_]f]la[Yddqeg\aÕ]\$
allergen-free cereal with them to the
International Space Station.
Karri Bass
Illumination Research
Cincinnati, OH
AddmeafYlagfJ]k]Yj[`
is a holistic research
and strategy consulting
Õjel`Yl`]dhkalk[da]flk\]n]dgh$\]ka_f
and conduct consumer-centric research.
The eight-year-old business is rapidly gaining
_jgmf\$oal`ka_faÕ[Yfl_dgZYd]phYfkagf
plans to serve its multinational customers.
To that end, Illumination recently formed
YhYjlf]jk`ahoal`?^C$Y_dgZYd[gfkme]j
research giant, both to better serve
Illumination’s global clients and enhance
its own ability to compete on opportunities
involving multiple countries.

9 Number of countries now running
Jamie Kern Lima
IT Cosmetics
Jersey City, NJ
IT Cosmetics,
established in 2008,
is now one of the
fastest growing cosmetics companies in
9e]ja[Y&L`]affgnYlan]Zmkaf]kkogjckoal`
leading plastic surgeons to infuse anti-aging
technology into high-performance cosmetics
to help customers look and feel their best.
Every IT Cosmetics product is cruelty-free
Yf\H=L9%[]jlaÕ]\$Yf\alkZjmk`]kYj]eY\]
of synthetic hairs to help avoid common
allergy issues.
Adrienne Choma
Saladax
Biomedical, Inc.
Bethlehem, PA
Saladax develops and
commercializes novel
diagnostic tests for the practical delivery of
personalized medicine, including improved
cancer drug dosing. The nine-year-old
company’s ultimate goal is replacing the
current standard of care in cancer drug
dosing with more precise dosing methods,
j]kmdlaf_afYZ]ll]jimYdalqg^da^]$^]o]j
adverse side effects and improved treatment
results for chemotherapy patients.
Entrepreneurial Winning Women programs
Jennifer Blumin
Skylight Group
New York, NY
Kcqda_`l?jgmhak
New York’s largest event
venue management
Õjel`Ylkh][aYdar]kafl`]Y\Yhlan]j]%mk]
of historic and iconic properties, converting
l`]eaflg`a_`%]f\]n]flkhY[]k&Cfgof^gj
offering an extensive network of services to
its discerning clients both within its venues
and on a consultancy basis, three-year-old
Kcqda_`l?jgmheYfY_]k]n]jql`af_^gjalk
clients from inception and construction to
operations, accounting and marketing.
Joy Taylor
TayganPoint
Consulting Group
Lambertville, NJ
TayganPoint Consulting
?jgmh$]klYZdak`]\af
2009, is a niche management consulting
company focused on helping pharmaceutical,
`]Ydl`[Yj]$ÕfYf[aYdk]jna[]kYf\]f]j_q
organizations improve their business
h]j^gjeYf[]&9dj]Y\qcfgof^gjalk`Yf\k%gf
approach to clients, TayganPoint plans to
lYc]Yk][lgj%kh][aÕ[YhhjgY[`lgZmkaf]kk$
bolstered by the hiring of sector leaders and
a highly experienced and skilled workforce,
which will allow it to diversify its client
portfolio and expand into new markets.
EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women
Dr. Lisa Williams
World of EPI, LLC
Chula Vista, CA
The World of EPI, which
teaches multicultural
understanding among
children, was founded on the belief that
all children deserve access to dolls that
encourage dreams, promote intelligence,
challenge perceptions and open their hearts
to beauty of all types. Founded with a line
of books in 2005, World of EPI is now a
multifaceted business that includes the
Positively Perfect™ doll line and has plans to
expand into animation.
Phyllis W. Newhouse
Xtreme Solutions, Inc.
Atlanta, GA
Plj]e]Kgdmlagfk$
founded in 2002, is an
end-to-end IT services
and solutions provider, with offerings that
jYf_]^jgeALklY^Õf_lgklYl]%g^%l`]%Yjl
cyber security consulting and forensic
YfYdqkak&Gf%\][c^gjl`]^mlmj]2YdYj_]j
global presence and platform for new
international customers, supported in part
by strategic alliances with large companies
to help serve smaller businesses.
When entrepreneurs scale, economies scale.

The Kauffman Foundation is committed to strengthening

the economy through advancing entrepreneurship. That
means support, encouragement, and education for
turning innovative ideas into sources of economic growth.
As the foundation of entrepreneurship, we applaud all
EY Entrepreneur Of The YearTM candidates for creating
jobs and growing their companies while growing our
economy.

Proud national sponsor of the

EY Entrepreneur Of The YearTM awards
since 1997.

www.kauffman.org
www.entrepreneurship.org
 We work with the world’s
leading organizations
to create places that
amplify the performance
of their people, teams
and enterprise.

THE EMERGING
SCIENCE
OF INNOVATION
Steelcase researchers have identified 8 different
structural models of innovation within organizations,
each with its own implications for how to use space to
improve the speed and outcomes of innovation efforts.
Simply stated, the right spaces make innovation work.

To read more about this research, visit

steelcase.com/innovation.
 ¡*()+=Q?EDaeal]\&9ddJa_`lkJ]k]jn]\&=<)(),
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It’s only at the EY Strategic
Growth Forum® that you’ll
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