Cow milker-maker Lely, entrepreneur T.J. Tollakson win honors at DMACC Small Business Awards
JOE GARDYASZ Sep 21, 2016 | 8:22 pm
1 min read time
248 wordsAll Latest News, Education, Innovation and EntrepreneurshipLely, a Pella company that makes fully automated robotic cow milkers for the dairy industry, was named the Most Innovative Company during the fourth annual DMACC Small Business Awards held at DMACC’s Ankeny campus Tuesday evening.
DMACC President Rob Denson and Vada Grantham, chair of DMACC’s Entrepreneurship Program, shared the stage with Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate in presenting the awards. About 150 people attended the event, which celebrates the achievements of small businesses and their economic impact on the Central Iowa economy.
T.J. Tollakson, founder of Ruster Sports in Des Moines, received the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2016. His company, which now employs 20 people, makes custom ultralight bicycles for triathlon competitors worldwide.Click here to read a Business Record article about Ruster Sports.
Other award winners included:
Dennis Albaugh Award: Clint Dudley, owner of Shade Tree Auto, Grimes.
Top Growth Company: BirdDogHR.
Small Business of the Year: Converse Conditioned Air.
In a separate entrepreneurship contest, the DMACC Foundation presented checks for $10,000 to two entrepreneurship contest winners, after deciding it couldn’t choose between them. The recipients were Kelsi Ziemann, founder of Kelsi Ziemann Artistry, which is developing a line of cosmetics; and Big Deal Car Care, whose owner, Dylan Book, developed a line of car cleaning products.
Joel Duncan, CEO of Aureon, announced during the event that Aureon will sponsor next year’s DMACC Small Business Awards. He also pledged that Aureon will match the first $10,000 in sponsorships provided by other companies.
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