Carper: GCDC seeks true leaders, business

The Green County Development Corporation is accepting nominations for the Green County Outstanding Business of the Year, the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, and the Richard B. Schmied Leadership Award. Winners of the awards will be announced during GCDC’s Annual Meeting and Recognition Dinner, scheduled for Wednesday, April 24 at Turner Hall in Monroe.

GCDC’s awards program recognizes both large and small accomplishments and provides all of the nominees a chance to showcase their businesses. Any individual, group or business may nominate a business or leader, and businesses and leaders may nominate themselves.

Nominate an Outstanding Business

The Outstanding Business of the Year Award honors an existing business that has demonstrated exemplary commitment to the county’s economic growth. The award-winner will have made a significant improvement to strengthen its market position or have overcome an obstacle affecting the company’s ability to grow. This could include installing new technology, developing new processes, creating jobs which improve employment opportunities for under-utilized workers, and sponsoring specialized training to enhance the skills of existing employees. The company should also be able to demonstrate a long-term history of supporting other Green County businesses and community initiatives.

Nominate Your Favorite Entrepreneur

Due to GCDC’s increased efforts to work with entrepreneurs and newer businesses, we are re-introducing an award to recognize how important the burgeoning entrepreneurial spirt is to our communities.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit Award will celebrate an entrepreneur who leads the way for their business — an individual who is all about getting things done and leading the charge! This award will be given to the entrepreneur who best demonstrates: a hunger for opportunity, a growth mindset and willingness to learn, a willingness to find solutions to challenges and problems, a strong work ethic, and an example of what a good entrepreneur looks like.

Nominate a true leader

The Richard B. Schmied Leadership Award commemorates Richard B. Schmied, remembered for the characteristics of leadership he exhibited. The winner of the award exemplifies the character of a true leader.

To understand the characteristics of the type of leader recognized by this award, it is important to remember the first winner of the award, and the leader whom the award commemorates, Richard B. Schmied. Richard represented the Village of New Glarus on the GCDC Board of Directors from November 1995, served as GCDC’s Vice President in 1998 and 1999, and was GCDC’s President at the time of his death in November 2000.

Richard worked with many partners to foster a professional, collaborative mindset in New Glarus and throughout the county. He instituted a planning and organizational structure to bring visions and goals to reality, and worked on all the tough issues: land use and growth management, highway rerouting, the Swiss Center of North America, streetscape planning, infrastructure, parks and recreation planning, historic preservation, establishing a Tax Increment Finance District, industrial park expansion and development, and many more.

Aside from all his big-picture local government duties and responsibilities, Richard never lost sight of the other small but vitally important opportunities to teach, reinforce and elevate people.

Top 10 Reasons to nominate a business and a leader

It’s a good thing to sing about unsung heroes. Do you know something about a business or a leader that other people should know? Often credit is not given because few people knew. Now is the time to share it!

It’s motivational. Learning about other outstanding businesses and leaders encourages all of us to be better.

It’s a chance to let them shine. Bring some positive awareness to the folks who are working in the trenches. Allow them to tell their stories to an appreciative crowd.

It expresses your gratitude for their work.

Because they’re worth it.

It helps them know they are making a difference in the lives of others.

It shows that great businesses and great leaders matter in Green County.

It brings awareness to good works being done in your community.

It brings people in Green County together for a common cause.

It’s easy. Give us a call at GCDC (608) 328-9452 or email us at gcdc@tds.net and we’ll send you the nomination form, or fill out the form at www.GreenCountyEDC.com. Applications are due by March 15.

Recent GCDC Award-Winners

2013 (Announced in 2014) Outstanding Small Business of the Year: Empire Media Group, Monroe

Outstanding Large Business of the Year: Faith Engineering Inc., Monroe

Richard B. Schmied Leadership Award: Ron Spielman, Monroe

2014 (Announced in 2015) Outstanding Business of the Year: Precision, Drive & Control, Inc, Monroe

Richard B. Schmied Leadership Award: Noreen Rueckert, Monroe

2015 (Announced in 2016)

Outstanding Business of the Year: Wisconsin Pallet & Storage, LLC, Monroe

Richard B. Schmied Leadership Award: Lori Stern, New Glarus

2016 (Announced in 2017)

Outstanding Business of the Year: Hawk’s Mill Winery, Browntown

Richard B. Schmied Leadership Award: Bryan Gadow, New Glarus