Meet the winners

At the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Daren Griffin is taking bold risks and leading with a people-first approach. As President and CEO, he launched the $1+ billion MoreRNO program to modernize aging infrastructure. His leadership helped drive the airport’s 2023 economic impact to $3.6 billion and reach its highest passenger levels since 2008.

From working in his grandpa’s equipment yard to leading Clark/Sullivan Construction, Jarrett Roseanu built a career rooted in service. He and three partners guided the firm through a founder transition, creating a culture of opportunity, while leading landmark projects. Beyond business lies a deep connection and commitment to the community. When opportunities to help arise, they gladly offer their support pro bono, choosing to remain “under the radar,” making a quiet difference where it matters most.

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What began as a door-to-door pest control sales job became a thriving career for Jeff Davenport, growing Official Pest Prevention from the ground up. Founded with his brother, they expanded to 170 employees, gaining over 11,000 new customers in 2021. In October of that year, Jeff closed a sale with Anticimex within 60 days. He’s now channeling his expertise in building Prize Pest Control in Dallas-Fort Worth.

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Trading estate plans for termite inspections, Lauren Thrasher turned a short stint in her husband’s garage startup into leading a thriving $7M pest control business. Recognized for the National Pest Management Association’s Executive Leadership Program, she  drives industry progress on state and national and is a volunteer sexual assault victim advocate.

Over the past 17 years, Nigel Lobo has ignited Grand Pacific’s core purpose of “enriching lives by creating experiences worth sharing”, growing its award-winning managed portfolio to over 25 resorts across the Western United States and Hawaii. Nigel has delivered best-in-class guest and associate satisfaction and has achieved outstanding revenue and profit growth with an associate-centric approach.

With an eye for analytics and a heart for culture, Peter Heald built Signature Analytics into San Diego’s leading outsourced accounting provider. After its 2024 acquisition by Citrin Cooperman, a Top 20 CPA and advisory firm, Peter is excited to drive growth: “I’m thrilled to join a national firm focused on the midmarket, delivering growth and exceptional client service.”

In just nine years, Eric Williams grew Unified Defense from a four-person manufacturing company into an enterprise with 480 employees targeting $150M this year. Named the 2024 SBA Georgia Person of the Year, he’s making a difference for both his team and community—offering paid haircuts to employees, donating 15 bus shelters, a high school weight room, and launching a hiring program for formerly incarcerated individuals that won the Department of Corrections Top Employer award.

A native Atlantan, Rosalyn Merrick brings passion to her role as President and CEO of Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. In five years, she doubled the organization’s impact, providing 900 families with affordable homeownership. She also led development of the organization’s first master-planned community of 134 homes in Browns Mill Village. In May, the team will blitz-build 24 homes for the 2026 Carter Work Project.

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Harish Daiya’s leadership transformed Lumenci from a bootstrap company into a category leader in IP monetization services. With 100+ employees serving 175 clients globally, Lumenci has analyzed 70,000+ patents, achieving a $3B impact through verdicts, settlements, and cost savings. His drive to build a premium brand with the top talent & a customer-first culture has fueled the Lumenci’s success.

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David Phillips was building his roofing career when his life took a turn with a stage 3 cancer diagnosis. With his unyielding spirit, he acquired Ja-Mar roofing in 2005 while undergoing chemotherapy. Under David, revenue grew from $750k – $1.2M to $35M by 2024. Now cancer-free, David earned the company the Master Elite 2024 3-Star President’s Club Award, an honor awarded to only 66 elite contractors in the country.

At 53, Jeff Erickson and his wife took the leap to buy City Wide Facility Solutions Omaha, investing everything they had to build a business with heart. In 5.5 years, they grew revenue tenfold to $10M, expanded their team to 20+ employees and 100+ contractors, and is launching a second location. His leadership blends discipline, resilience and generosity, raising funds for community causes while building a culture of integrity.

Changing the landscape of Nebraska one excavation, one utility, one road at a time. At Roloff Construction, Kara Habrock guided the 50-year-old family business from a union shop to a 100% employee-owned company. She modernized project and financial systems and developed intentional culture building fundamentals to honor her father’s legacy while ensuring their people-first foundation endures for generations.

From packing orders in the family basement to leading Storey Kenworthy | Workspace as CEO, John Kenworthy’s journey is defined by growth. He grew the company from $55M in 2015 to $97M in 2024, powered by four acquisitions and  product expansion. Focused on employee growth, he implemented stay interviews, modernized their mission and implemented Predictive Index to elevate overall performance.

When Immanuel faced the challenge of redefining its future, Eric Gurley led with courage and humility. As CEO, he guided the organization through a bold exit from hospital ownership, fueling growth from 7 to 18 communities and adding 3 PACE centers. By mentoring leaders and creating two foundations, he ensures seniors of all incomes are served with dignity, compassion, and equity for generations.

Andy applies strategic vision and new technologies to scale businesses, drive operational excellence, and create lasting value. At Revere Control Systems, he led 35% growth in the most profitable sector while expanding margins. Now, as President of ECS at SJE Inc., he leads 470+ employees across 11 U.S. locations.

John Howe leads American Pipe & Supply with a focus on growth, people, and impact. As CEO, he has driven 50 promotions in the last five years, developed future leaders through quarterly roundtables, and expanded the company from four to nine branches. Beyond business, John serves as governance chair for the MS Society and volunteers with Better Basics to advance children’s literacy.

Halfway to his goal of completing the Appalachian Trail, Ken Nolen brings the same persistence to leadership. Since joining ProcessBarron in 1989, he’s driven growth from $15M to $140M. Partnering with local colleges, he invests in future leaders by offering internships and tuition support. As Chairman of the Board, he is focused on creating a succession plan at every level of the organization.

Joel Blackstock founded his firm 30 years ago with a vision to inspire people, enhance communities, and create opportunity for young professionals. Under him, the firm grew from $2M to nearly $25M, expanded across 20 states and became the largest architecture firm in Birmingham and among the top two in Alabama. By mentoring successors and guiding the transition, Joel has ensured lasting stability.

When Benjamin Penning took over his family business, he honored its legacy while reimagining its future. As President of Penning Landscapes, he rebranded, reorganized, and enhanced services into full-scale design, build, and maintenance. With $6.69M revenue over the last 12 months, he’s built a culture rooted in trust, sustainability, and excellence.

Dennis King grew up in his family’s catering business but charted his own path when he launched SchoolFoodies. What began as a side venture has grown into a Certified Green Business, serving 3,000+ children meals daily across the Bay Area. By investing $1.1M in a custom facility and automation, nurturing 15-year customer ties and building a loyal team, Dennis has positioned the business for growth.

From working summers at the OC County Fair to leading the Alameda County Agricultural Fair Association, Jerome Hoban has dedicated his career to building community. He’s transformed a seasonal venue into a year-round hub, hosting 320+ events annually, advancing agricultural literacy for students and serving as a center for wildfire response, food distribution, and vaccination clinics.

Steve Keihner turned a small roadside furniture stand into what is now Terra Outdoor Living, a $53M leader in outdoor design with 13 retail locations and its signature VENTANA line. By introducing incentive programs, prioritizing a people first approach, and bringing in top talent, Steve crafted a culture of accountability where creativity flourishes. In 2023, he appointed a president and shifted into a mentorship role, ensuring Terra’s future beyond him.

Daniel Hacker transformed his pro hockey career into leading his family’s construction firm, growing it fivefold with 30% year-over-year growth. On a mission to create affordable housing across South Central Alaska, he also gives back through coaching youth hockey and hosting an annual golf tournament to support families diagnosed with ALS. For Daniel, success is a shared family legacy.

Watch: Insights with Daniel Hacker

When ASCI lost a major client, Christine Hopkins faced the crisis head-on. She led the company through a partial liquidation to rebuild as a woman-owned small business, then pivoted into federal contracting—fueling fivefold growth in three years and expanding the team from 7 to 60. By partnering with DoD programs, she expands her impact, creating career opportunities for veterans, military spouses, and women.

Watch: Insights with Christine Hopkins

With a heart as big as Alaska, Floyd Shilanski built Shilanski & Associates into one of the state’s longest-standing independent RIAs. From a six-person office to a global team of 30, he grew revenue from $0 to $6.8 million. Yet his proudest accomplishment was passing the reins to his children and advisors, ensuring the firm thrives while he continues guiding nearly 100 families and traveling the world.

Watch: Insights with Floyd Shilanski, RFC®, AIF®

As CEO of Utah Community Action, Jennifer Godfrey leads the state’s largest nonprofit helping families overcome poverty. At UCA, she launched a central kitchen that serves 600,000 meals yearly, while guiding a 550-person team. Now focused on expanding early childhood education and affordable housing, she ensures more than 56,000 Utahns a year have pathways to stability.

As CEO, Jennifer helped Unlimited Designs grow into a premier manufacturer of custom architectural components. She and her team consolidated leadership, opened a plant in Mexico, and increased revenue by 33% while guiding 140 employees. Their culture is rooted in shared values, simplified solutions, and a commitment to grow together. Jennifer is proud of the team’s ability to partner with architects and contractors to bring complex designs to life.

Earning a paycheck since age eight, Jim Bennett’s work ethic drove him to build one of the top-ranked accounting firms in the country. He founded Now CFO in 2005, growing it to 50 locations with 425+ employees and expanding into 10 service companies. After selling the firm this year, Jim continues to channel his drive into three service companies, showcasing that leadership is a lifelong pursuit.

From taking the reins of Archer Mechanical & Maintenance at 25 to growing it from $4M to $111M, Tony Rickards has built more than Utah’s tallest tower—he’s built leaders. Embracing the philosophy of “building people in partnerships to build extraordinary buildings,” he’s empowered his team to carry his legacy forward. Now serving as a mentor and partner, Tony ensures Archer’s continued success.

For Jess Sudol, every project at Passero Associates is an opportunity to create designs that inspire and uplift communities. Becoming President in March 2020, he, together with his Board, led 100 employees through remote work while doubling the firm’s size and expanding into new markets. Through building Rochester’s largest affordable housing developments and donating 10% of profits annually, Passero is creating a meaningful impact.

Jill Knittel has shaped JK Executive Strategies into a culture-driven, fast-growing firm recognized for both empowerment and community impact. The 11-person firm has earned the Athena Organization Award, logged 220+ volunteer hours last year, and twice appeared on RBJ’s Top 100 Fastest Growing list, while Jill has been bestowed both the RBJ Business Person of the Year and Champion of Hope Award.

When it comes to leadership, Marc Iacona hits the right notes – steering Simcona Electronics and co-producing one of the nation’s top jazz festivals. After purchasing the family business in 2011, he expanded their manufacturing capabilities with a 30,000 sq ft facility. Blending his passion for community and music, he established a jazz scholarship program, supporting the next generation of musicians.

After years in academia and coaching hockey, Mark Davitt launched ConServe, growing it to 860 employees and $130M in revenue. He built a culture of celebration, philanthropy, and achievement, including 15 years on the Rochester Top 100 companies. In 2023, he sold the business to a team member, ensuring that they could carry his legacy forward while keeping his foundation — his team— at the company’s core.

Find a way. Normalize the extreme. Prioritize people over profit. These values guide Southeastern Architectural Systems under the leadership of President Mac Winget. Five years ago, Mac took a bold risk by launching a metal panel manufacturing venture that continues to grow. Beyond business, he serves on the Charlotte Rescue Mission board, proving true leadership is about service to others.

Watch: Insights with Mac Winget

Driving Hood Container’s next chapter of growth, Alan Clark brings a wealth of leadership experience across consulting, public, and private equity-backed firms. As President & COO, he is leading the integration of diverse cultures after 17 acquisitions into a values-driven organization of 4,000+ employees, guided by his belief in empowering others to succeed.

Watch: Insights with Alan Clark