KALAMAZOO ? Dan Blackledge, chairman and founder of BlueGranite Inc. of Kalamazoo, was one of five West Michigan entrepreneurs recently named an Entrepreneur of the Year for West Michigan by Ernst & Young LLP.
Originally a Web-site-design and -development company, BlueGranite has become a consulting and software-applications company. It is located in Western Michigan University’s Business Technology and Research Park.
“We view ourselves as a business first and a technology company second,” Blackledge said. “We let the Microsofts of the world develop the technology, and we take it out and apply it to our customers.”
Blackledge was among four entrepreneurs selected for the award in the technology category, said Kristie Burns, 2005 award-program manager for Ernst & Young in West Michigan. He was the only one selected from the greater Kalamazoo area.
Burns said the winners were selected by a panel of seven judges composed of community and business leaders.
“The judges were looking for growing businesses with a great story,” Burns said. “They look at the risks taken by the entrepreneur and how that is translated into a growing business.”
Birgit Klohs, a judge and president of Grand Rapids’ lead economic-development organization, The Right Place Inc., described Blackledge as ?very creative, and he survived during tough times and is building his business very well.”
BlueGranite also was recently named one of the top 50 companies to watch in Michigan by the Edward Lowe Foundation.
