GRAND RAPIDS Nine business professionals were named the West Michigan area winners of Ernst & Youngs Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, including software developer SageStone Consulting Founder Keith Brophy.

Brophy was named Realizing Business Potential for its work as a Microsoft Gold Partner and DOT NET development pioneer. Last month Sagestone beat out a field of 28 of the nation’s most restigious software firms to win the inaugural Microsoft Public Sector Award for 2004 Best Innovation in Education.

Other winners include:

Financial Services – Gary Tilkin, President/CEO, Global Futures & Forex of Ada. Global Futures & Forex, Ltd. is a leading online currency-trading firm serving clients in more than 100 countries. The company designed DealBook, software that enables clients to bypass the paper path and the physical trading floor of the futures exchange and allows worldwide access to the market. The company opened a new office in the Sears Tower in Chicago and a New York office is scheduled to open this month.

Business/Consumer Services – Thomas Highley, President/CEO, The Empire Company of Zeeland. The Empire Company is a value-added distribution millwork, logistic/marketing support company. Since 1993, Tom has led Empire’s growth from a regional to a multi-regional company during a time in which nine of the Company’s top 10 customers went out of business.

Real Estate/Construction – Michael Garrett, President, Pinnacle Construction Group of Grand Rapids. In 1996, Garrett started Pinnacle and did not receive a salary during the first three years of operation. Pinnacle, selected as 2000’s Small Business of the Year by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, now employs more than 20 West Michigan construction professionals whose projects have won local industry awards.

Real Estate/Design – Wayne Visbeen, President, Visbeen Associates of Grand Rapids. Visbeen started his full-service architectural, planning and interior design firm in 1992. He also owns 10 spin-off companies including Streetscapes, a condominium development and Standing Stones, a residential development. Grand Rapid Magazine, Cosmopolitan Home, The Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids Business Journal and Better Homes & Gardens have all featured Wayne’s work.

Manufacturing – Karlis Vizulis, President/CEO, Performance Systematix, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI. Based in Grand Rapids, Performance Systematix Inc. (PSI) was founded in 1984. PSI can take products from concept to market very quickly. It specializes in custom solutions and is able to work with difficult media and substrates. Industries currently using their products include: Biomedical, Biotech, Chemical, Healthcare, Industrial Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical.

Emerging – Daniel George, CEO, and Matthew P. Jung, President, Comfort Research of Grand Rapids. Comfort Research is a furniture manufacturer and importer. While enrolled at Hope College, both men perceived a need among students for comfortable and affordably priced chairs. Using a home sewing machine, the two created the first generation of the “Foof” Chair and founded Comfort Research in 1997. In 2001 Chip and Matt were the focus of a Business Week small business supplement and are currently no. 186 on Inc. magazine’s 500 list.

Master – Rita Williams, CEO & Chairman of the Board, Gill Industries, of Grand Rapids. Gill designs, engineers and manufactures metal products to automotive, office furniture, recreation and outdoor power markets. The company was founded in 1964, but it wasn’t until after Rita raised 12 children, finished an education in nursing and served as an LPN that she became Gill’s General Manager in 1985. Williams also is the owner of the Sierra Room, a casual upscale eatery in downtown Grand Rapids.

Lifetime Achievement Award – John Gordon, Vice Chairman and Paul
Gordon, Chairman, Gordon Food Service of Grand Rapids. Gordon Food Service is the largest family-owned foodservice distributor in North America. From modest beginnings as teen-agers sent to Traverse City to sell “off the truck,” they served in a variety of roles before Paul became President in 1965 and John, Secretary/Treasurer. Under John and Paul’s guidance, Gordon Food Service transitioned from a retail distributor to providing foodservice to restaurants, schools and other institutions.

The West Michigan award winners are now eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2004 national program. Winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif., in November 2004. The overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner is then considered for the world event held in Monte Carlo.