Marian University Business & Industry Award Winners Announced

Marian University will hold its 32nd annual Business & Industry awards dinner at Marian’s Stayer Center for Technology & Executive Learning on Tuesday, November 12. Presentation of six awards will follow a reception at 5:45 p.m. and dinner.

The Business of the Year award will be presented to Sadoff Iron & Metal Co. Sadoff Iron & Metal Co. is a scrap metal recycling company with headquarters in Fond du Lac, and boasts more than 240 employees company-wide. The third generation of the Rudoy/Lasky family now runs the business. Sadoff has five other locations in Wisconsin in addition to two locations in Nebraska. The company provides scrap metal recycling services and solutions to industry, and ferrous and nonferrous melt products to foundries, steel mills and smelters. Sadoff conducts business in 37 states and exports to China, Mexico, Taiwan, India and Canada.

The Entrepreneur of the Year in Retail award will be presented to Kelley Country Creamery. Kelley Country Creamery is located on a 200 acre farmstead dairy where 65 Holsteins provide Grade A milk for the creamery. Kelley Country Creamery has experienced great success, especially as they were voted Wisconsin’s best ice cream parlor by USA Today in 2010 and were named America’s best ice cream by Good Morning America this past July.

The Entrepreneur of the Year in Service award will be presented to Brownboots Interactive. Brownboots Interactive began focusing on website development nearly a decade ago, but since then has expanded into a full service marketing agency. Some of their clients include National Exchange Bank & Trust, Kohler Company, Mercury Marine and Michels Corporation.

The Economic Development award will be presented to Manitowoc Tool and Machining. Established over four decades ago, Manitowoc Tool and Machining is an industry leader recognized worldwide for superior production machining and unmatched capability.

The Special Achievement award will be presented to Curt Kindschuh of Drunk Busters of America. Kindschuh, a 1984 graduate of Marian University, started Drunk Busters of America nearly 19 years ago. He is the designer and patent holder for Drunk Busters Impairment Goggles, used worldwide in the fight to stop impaired driving. He and his staff have now worked with over 15,000 customers in 72 countries.

The George Becker Business Spirit award is given to an individual, company, charitable organization or civic group whose good business practices benefit the community, either through the ways they do business or through the recipients’ contribution to the community. It is named for George Becker, former president of Giddings & Lewis and a member of Marian’s Board of Trustees.

This year’s recipient of the George Becker Spirit award is Mike Shannon, owner of Mike Shannon Automotive, parent company of Holiday Automotive. This past summer, the company was named one of the Best Dealerships to Work For by Automotive News. Mike Shannon Automotive was a 2012 United Way pacesetter. Shannon has served as chairperson of the Fond du Lac Catholic Education System (FACES) School Board.

The Business & Industry awards dinner helps raise money for scholarships for students in the Marian University School of Business & Public Safety.

For more information about the 2013 Business and Industry Awards, contact Kathy Gellings, director Advancement Services, at (920) 923-7613 or at kgellings@marianuniversity.edu.