Business & Tech

Two Edina Business Owners in Running for 'Entrepreneur of the Year' Award

Award winners will be announced on June 13, at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center.

A pair of Edina business owners are among 29 finalists in the running for Ernst & Young's 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Megan Tamte, who created designer clothing boutique Hot Mama, and Alan Bignall, founder of , have both been selected as finalists for this year's award.

The annual program recognizes high-growth entrepreneurs who demonstrate success in areas like innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. The 29 finalists have been selected from 61 nominations in the Upper Midwest, with winners set to be announced at a special gala event on June 13 at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center.

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That same gala will see Pentair Chairman and CEO Randall Hogan honored with a Lifetime Achievement award.

Collectively, this year's 29 finalists created nearly 4,000 jobs in the past three years, providing 19,588 jobs in total at the end of 2012. They also generated more than $9.6 billion in revenue in 2012, growing their companies' revenues by 40 percent between 2010 and 2012.

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The full list of Upper Midwest regional finalists is as follows:

  • Apex Information Technologies – Brian Kueppers (St. Paul, MN)
  • Augeo Marketing – David Kristal (St. Paul, MN)
  • Code 42 Software – Matthew Dornquast (Minneapolis, MN)
  • Coolibar, Inc. – John Barrow (St. Louis Park, MN)
  • Fabcon – Michael LeJeune (Savage, MN)
  • Foster Group, Inc. – Jerry Foster (West Des Moines, IA)
  • G&K Services, Inc. – Douglas Milroy (Minnetonka, MN)
  • Gardner Builders – Bob Gardner (Minneapolis, MN)
  • Genova Technologies – Dawn Ainger (Cedar Rapids, IA)
  • Hayneedle Inc. – Doug Nielsen (Omaha, NE)
  • Hot Mama – Megan Tamte (Edina, MN)
  • Intertech, Inc. – Thomas Salonek (Eagan, MN)
  • Involta – Bruce Lehrman (Cedar Rapids, IA)
  • JAMF Software, LLC – Christopher Pearson and Richard Halmstad (Minneapolis, MN)
  • KLN Family Brands – Kenny Nelson (Perham, MN)
  • LightEdge Solutions, Inc. – Jim Masterson (Des Moines, IA)
  • MBI Energy Services, Inc. – James Arthaud (Belfield, ND)
  • Metropolitan Transportation Network, Inc. – Tashitaa Tufaa (Fridley, MN)
  • Milk Specialties Global – David Lenzmeier (Eden Prairie, MN)
  • Omaha Steaks International, Inc. – Bruce Simon (Omaha, NE)
  • Pawn America – Brad Rixmann (Burnsville, MN)
  • ReconRobotics, Inc. – Alan Bignall (Edina, MN)
  • Renters Warehouse – Brenton Hayden (Minnetonka, MN)
  • Rock Communications and Colorfx – Jon Troen (Newton, IA)
  • Spray Control Systems, Inc. – Craig Kruckeberg (Blooming Prairie, MN)
  • The Nerdery – Mike Derheim (Minneapolis, MN)
  • The Scoular Company – Marshall Faith (Omaha, NE)
  • Vomela – Thomas Auth (St. Paul, MN)

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