Lawrence Regional Technology Center

Chamber honors area companies
By Chad Lawhorn, Journal-World

Saturday, October 16, 2004

Lawrence Chamber of Commerce officials recognized five area companies during a ceremony Friday morning in an effort to ensure that existing businesses know they're appreciated.

About 200 people attended the chamber's second annual Excellence in Commerce Awards at the Lawrence Holidome.

"We definitely do not want existing businesses to feel like they get lost in the shuffle, and this event helps us communicate that," said Lynn Parman, vice president of economic development for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. "We want them to know that they are a priority to us."

The winners were chosen from a field of 1,504 contenders by a chamber-appointed committee. The 15 finalists were chosen from 56 nominations received by the chamber. The winners were:

* Deciphera Pharmaceuticals LLC, a drug development company located in part of the former Oread Labs office space at 15th Street and Wakarusa Drive, won in the Bob Billings Rising Star category. Deciphera was hailed as a company that could become an anchor in the community's life sciences efforts.

"I don't believe that if our community conducted an international search that we could have found a company that better fits our needs," said Sam Campbell, a Lawrence venture capitalist who helped attract the company to Lawrence from the Boston area and was part of the team that accepted the award for the company.

Other nominees in the category were Paradise Floors Inc. and ServiceMaster Cleansweep Janitorial.

* Pearson Government Solutions, which provides a variety of call center and computer services to government agencies at its East Hills Business Park facility, won in the service category.

"Part of our company's core values is to do worthwhile work, and to win an award like this is a nice recognition for our 1,800 employees," said Terry Kroshus, site manager for the Lawrence operations.

Other nominees in the category were Cottonwood Inc. and Lawrence Therapy Services LLC.

* Z's Divine Espresso Inc., which operates two coffee shops in Lawrence, won in the hospitality category.

"This is great recognition for a company that set out with the simple goals of creating a place that people could feel at home, could enjoy the art and get a damn good cup of coffee," said Charles Gruber, a Lawrence real estate agent who encouraged owner Mark Zwahl to open the shop in 1999. Gruber was part of the team that accepted the award for the company.

Other nominees in the category were Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and JB Stouts.

* The World Company, which operates Sunflower Broadband, World Online and publishes the Journal-World and several area weekly newspapers, won in the technology category. The company won the top award in the service category at last year's event, making it the only company in the program's history to win two awards.

"Technology is great, but what we've really been blessed with is 600-plus employees who really give a damn," said Dan Simons, president of the company's electronic division.

Other nominees in the category were Allen Press Inc. and Pinnacle Technology Inc.

* Prosoco Inc., which manufactures cleaning and protective chemicals for the cement and masonry industries, won in the manufacturing category.

David Boyer, company president, said the award was validation of the company's decision to relocate from the Kansas City area in 1999. He said the company had been pleased with the number of Kansas City employees that followed them to Lawrence and the number of quality employees the company had added since moving to the area.

"All of this has been possible because of the hospitality of this community," Boyer said.

Other nominees in the category were Amarr Garage Doors and Astaris.

All 15 of the finalists will be nominated for the state's business awards program administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce. Winners of those awards will be announced in June.