Business Person of the Year By the Business Pulse Magazine Staff
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n Wednesday, March 20, Business Pulse Magazine and the WBA celebrates local business at its 27th annual Whatcom County Business Person of the Year Awards Dinner. The event, co-hosted by takes place at the Best Western Lakeway Inn & Conference Center. This Business Person of the Year awards celebration is the longestrunning business awards event in Whatcom County. The three finalists for Business Person of the Year represent true innovation, leaders both within their industries and their communities: two publishers – one traditional (newspapers, printing) and one specialty (Bible software)—and an entrepreneur who built and sold a cable TV company. This trio from a strong list of nominees consists of men with exceptional business acumen and wide-ranging accomplishments (alphabetically): • Mike Lewis publishes two weekly and two monthly news36 | BUSINESSPULSE.COM
papers and serves as president of multiservice printer Lewis Publishing Company Inc. in Lynden. • Bob Pritchett co-founded and now serves as president and CEO of Logos Bible Software in Bellingham, which has earned numerous awards for rapid growth, best workplace, and numerous other citations. • Bob Warshawer founded Black Rock Cable and culminated its massive growth throughout four counties by selling during 2012. Nick Kaiser, director and chairman of Saturna Capital, will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. (Go to Personally Speaking for his story, page 12) Other category nominees include the rock stars of local start-ups (since 2010) and small business (under 100 employees). VSH Certified Public Accountants and Whidbey Island Bank provide title sponsorships of the awards dinner. Co-sponsors include Chmelik Sitkin & Davis Attorneys at Law, Comcast, Dawson Construction, and Larson Gross CPAs & Consultants.
The 2013 nominees (alphabetically) Start-up Business of the Year • Next Level Training in Ferndale • Rover Stay Over in Lynden • Scratch ‘n Peck in Bellingham Small Business of the Year • Hand Crank Films in Bellingham • Samson Farms & Winery in Everson • Vital Choice Wild Seafood & Organics in Ferndale • Z Recyclers in Lynden Business Person of the Year • Mike Lewis, Lewis Publishing • Bob Pritchett, Logos Bible Software • Bob Warshawer, Black Rock Cable The awards banquet starts at 6 p.m. with a social hour, followed by dinner at 7 p.m., and the awards ceremony at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $55 each, and sponsored tables of eight are available for $600. To order tickets call 360-746-0410. Tickets are also available at www. WhatcomBusinessAllliance.com