Communication Associate: Public Relations | Lori Melton | lmelton@d.umn.edu | (218) 726-8830
April 24, 2013 Sandi Larson | Program/Project Specialist | Center for Economic Development | 218-726-7298 | slarson1@d.umn.edu
Lori Melton | Communication Associate | External Affairs | 218 726-8830 | lmelton@d.umn.edu
21st Annual Labo Awards Recipients Announced
Duluth, MN – The UMD Center for Economic Development (CED) announced the recipients
of the 21st Annual Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards during a luncheon at
the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center on April 24. UMD Executive Vice Chancellor
Andrea Schokker welcomed attendees and Mark Labovitz provided opening remarks
before more than 300 business and community leaders.
Since 1993, the Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards have recognized small
business owners who have dared to dream, taken risks, and invested in the region. This
year's award recipients, honored as part of Small Business Week, were selected from 30
nominees from throughout the Twin Ports and Arrowhead Region.
The 2013 recipients are:
Micro-Entrepreneur:
Swanky Sweet Pea – RaeAnne Conat, International Falls
Emerging Entrepreneur:
Art in the Alley – Tami LaPole Edmunds and Dan Edmunds, Duluth
Established Entrepreneur:
Lake Assault Boats, LLC – Tom Curelli and Jerry Atherton, Superior
Mature Entrepreneur:
Wagner Construction Inc. – Dennis Wagner, International Falls
E-3: Environmentally Engaged Entrepreneur:
Locally Laid Egg Company – Lucie and Jason Amundsen, Wrenshall
Additional Recognition awards presented:
Entrepreneurial Leadership: Nicholas Minardi, Viant Crane
Lifetime Achievement: Lee R. Anderson and J.R. 'Rob' Link
Joining the UMD Center for Economic Development in sponsoring the event were maurices,
WestmorelandFlint, Flint Interactive, KBJR TV, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation
Board, Greenfield Communications, Park State Bank, the Entrepreneur Fund, Pro Print,
the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Minnesota Small Business Development
Centers Network.
Recipient Bios
MICRO-ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Swanky Sweet Pea – RaeAnne Conat
A wholesale supplier of dessert-inspired bath and body products, Swanky Sweet Pea
provides its products to 850-plus U.S. and international retailers. Owner RaeAnne Conat
started in her home and now has a 2,000-square-foot facility where she produces and
packages her products and offers workshops for birthdays and special events.
EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Art in the Alley – Tami LaPole Edmunds and Dan Edmunds
Art in the Alley owners and artists Tami LaPole Edmunds and Dan Edmunds make many
of the products they sell right in their stores. In the past year, they relocated their business
from Superior to Duluth and opened an additional store. Their two downtown Duluth
stores feature repurposed and up-cycled clothing, accessories, furniture, and home décor,
as well as the work of 12 local artists.
ESTABLISHED ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Lake Assault Boats, LLC – Tom Curelli and Jerry Atherton
Lake Assault Boats designs and builds mission-specific custom aluminum boats, including
fireboats, airboats, search-and-rescue boats, work boats, patrol boats, and fishing boats.
With a special focus on the emergency-response market, Lake Assault Boats prides itself on
offering, "the last boat you ever buy."
MATURE ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Wagner Construction Inc. – Dennis Wagner
What started nearly 40 years ago as a small, family-owned northern Minnesota logging
company has expanded to a full-service construction business in four states and Canada.
Wagner Construction Inc. offers a full complement of services, from dike and road
construction to utility system maintenance and building demolition.
E-3 AWARD
Locally Laid Egg Company – Lucie and Jason Amundsen
The only Minnesota commercial provider of pasture-raised eggs, Locally Laid Egg Company
distributes to area restaurants and grocers. Dedicated to community and sustainability,
it donates five percent of its profits to local organizations, operates solar-powered hen
houses, and supports reforestation efforts through its carton-return program and by
planting trees for each delivery.
Entrepreneurial Leadership: Nicholas Minardi, Viant Crane
Nick Minardi has seen entrepreneurs in his family and has taken an opportunity to become
one of the region's bright, young entrepreneurs. He represents the kind of entrepreneurial
leadership that we need to encourage. His focus is on the future, a future to grow the
industry, grow markets and find those markets that are yet to be explored. He is active in
the community and his enthusiasm for life, entrepreneurship and mentoring has inspired
others to take a risk and find the resources they need to be successful. He is encouraging
our youth through his work with Junior Achievement, serving as president this year and
as the Vice President of IMPACT and participating in the voyageurs area council of the Boy
Scouts of America.
Lifetime Achievement: Lee R. Anderson and J.R. 'Rob' Link
Lee Anderson and Rob Link have rebuilt portions of our communities by constructing 35
properties in Duluth alone, resulting not only in jobs, but in targeted investments that
have helped create a sustainable economic base for the community. A&L began the process
of redefining downtown by removing rundown, substandard buildings and replacing
them with the construction of the Technology Village. Anderson and Link provided key
investment in an area that had experienced years of disinvestment and neglect. They have
been instrumental in reconstruction of portions of West Duluth, and have preserved our
local heritage by restoring historic landmarks such as The Duluth Athletic Club, Minnesota
National Bank Building, and the Bridgeman-Russell Building. They have developed a
funding model for use with the medical industry that provides state-of-the-art facilities to
expand and access to healthcare services. Their commitment to the region and its people
was recently recognized during the 100-year anniversary of the Jamar Company. Over a
period of 28 years their joint efforts have resulted in the investment of over $212 million in
regional development projects.
The UMD Center for Economic Development is a joint program of the UMD Labovitz School
of Business and Economics, the Natural Resources Research Institute, and the Swenson
College of Science and Engineering. UMD Center for Economic Development provides
technical assistance to individuals who have an interest in starting or expanding a business
in Northeastern Minnesota. Its web address is umdced.com; its phone number is 218-726-
7298.
UMD News Releases