The North Carolina Entrepreneur of the Year awards, sponsored by Ernst & Young, Merrill Lynch, Inc. Magazine, Business North Carolina, and WSOC-TV, honors the state's most successful entrepreneurs in a range of categories. This year's winners are listed
Christopher Gergen, HQ Raleigh co-founder, discusses his background, his previous business experience, and his desire to spread his entrepreneurial strategy throughout North Carolina
Mountain BizWorks in a non-profit organization in Asheville that helps local entrepreneurs get their businesses up and running by providing start-up and expansion loans and training to clients.
The Gypsy Bee Natural Soap Company, owned and operated by Sherrye Perry, produces soap made from all natural products that include honey produced on her property. The owner donates much of her proceeds to breast cancer research and other non-profit organizations.
Sageworks Inc. CEO Brian Hamilton holds seminars with prisoners in North Carolina to discuss how they can start their own businesses and improve their lives.
David Hagen claims DirecTV killed Prime TV LLC, the nation's top seller of its satellite systems. Hagen has a checkered past, serving time in prison for bankruptcy fraud, and his business may have actually failed as a result of thousands of customer complaints concerning rebates and money owed to buyers.
Pete Murphy owns two companies in Duplin County that built restaurants in River Landing. Though it seems to be in the middle of nowhere, Murphy chose the location because of housing developments cropping up. The entrepreneur invested in the area knowing it would expand in the future and bring in money.
Bruton Smith built two public companies, Speedway Motorsports Inc. and Sonic Automotive Inc. and acts as chairman, CEO, and majority shareholder of both. This article discusses his entrepreneurship and successes of his companies.
Ron Guerette is a private investigator at the company he owns, Guerette Investigations Inc. He is one of the most successful PI's in Charlotte and discusses his experiences in the business.