Manufacturing Category
Alpha-Prime, Inc.
Richard Bartosic, President/Owner

Founded in 1990, Alpha-Prime, Inc. is a paper converting firm specializing in precision sheeting, paperboard converting, custom die cutting, trimming, packaging and rewinding.  Richard Bartosic, company president and owner, is a 35-year veteran of the paper industry prior to starting Alpha-Prime, located in Menasha.     

Alpha-Prime has positioned itself to offer a broad range of services that have been developed to meet a large variety of customer needs.  State-of-the-art equipment, quality control and well trained employees have contributed to their success.    

The company continues to reinvest in machinery in order to meet demand as well as for efficiency and worker safety.  In addition to the sheeting and trimming capabilities, the firm also does boxing, shrink wrapping, roll header cutting, pallet building, stretch or kraft wrapping of pallets and embossing. 

The company conforms to many of the tasks required for ISO 9001 certification for precision measuring devices and statistical data tracking thus ensuring quality control. 

Cross training of employees to run different equipment allows for quick turn around and 24-hour coverage in order to meet deadlines.  The company is able to offer good pay and benefits packaging as well as flexible work schedules for family needs.  The company is proud to have many long-term employees on their staff.  Since its inception, has tripled its work force and staffs three shifts around the clock.

The firm is involved with the community by donating paper to area schools and churches and yard sign materials for political candidates.  Employees volunteer time with their churches, Boy Scouts of America and other service organizations.  Bartosic has personally dedicated himself to assisting collage age students to obtaining scholarship dollars for additional education. 

Service Category
QuickStart, Inc.
Kent Nelson, President

QuickStart, Inc. has done just that, had a very quick start since it was founded by Kent Nelson, president in 2002.  QuickStart, Inc. assists people through the entire business start-up process from financial and business plan assistance, SBA loan packaging, to determining what financing options are available for a business such as SBA, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), Wisconsin Department of Commerce or grants through the Wisconsin entrepreneurs Network.  Their mission is to help small business owners start, purchase, expand, and maintain successful businesses.

Nelson first opened QuickStart in Appleton with one employee, himself, in 1998 and offered only one service, QuickBooks® Consulting.  In 2001, the company was incorporated as QuickStart, Inc. Since then, the Company has grown to five employees and has two locations, one in Menasha and one in Green Bay. 

QuickStart has taken the time to understand what banks and credit unions in Northeast Wisconsin are looking for during the lending process.  This helps them to better assist clients in planning, whether it be for business start-up, debt consolidation, financial analysis, including cash flow, budgeting and planning including setting up an accounting system, such as QuickBooks or developing business policies and procedures.  QuickStart educates their clients on understanding the financial aspects of their business.

Understanding their own business has benefited them in increased revenues each year while continuing to grow primarily through referrals from existing clients and lenders. 

In 2005, Nelson was named the Wisconsin Financial Services Champion by the SBA.  

Nelson devotes a significant amount of time to the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE).  The company gives back to the community by volunteering to speak at various seminars, workshops and educational classes.  In addition to the Fox Cities Chamber, they are involved in the Heart of the Valley Chamber, Wisconsin Hmong Chamber, Fox Valley Technical College’s E-Seed classes, Urban Hope, Home Based Business Association in Green Bay, Inventors Network of Wisconsin, My Brother’s Keeper and New North.

Wholesale/Retail Category
Good Company LTD
John & Nancy Reader with son Trevor Reader, Owners

Good family makes for Good Company a local restaurant that has been on the scene since 1981. 
Owned by John and Nancy Reader with their son Trevor the restaurant has grown not only in menu offerings, but also by remodeling and adding on to the building.   Good Company is well known for good food, good times and a relaxed casual atmosphere.  

The family enjoys being an independent as opposed to a chain restaurant as they can adapt more quickly to the specific market and the customers.  Customer loyalty has been key to sustaining their business over the years and has contributed to significant sales growth over the years.

The past few years they have been recognized many times with area awards including The Valley's Most Unique Family Restaurant, the Best Overall Restaurant in 2004 and 2005 by  The Post Crescent reader poll.  Winner of the Golden Fork Award for Best Atmosphere and Best Place for a First Date and for Best Burger, Best Cajun and Best Place to Take Children.

Good Company also serves as the parent company to the newly opened Pullmans at Trolley Square, which will soon be adding a wine bar called Sorellas.  Between the two locations they now employ approximately 200, focusing more on full-time employees.  Plans are also in the works for a banquet facility at the Trolley Square building and to open a third restaurant in late 2007. 

They participate in the community by donating many gift certificates to area events and non-profit functions.  They sponsor youth sports, the Community First Fox Cities Marathon and volunteering their time to their church. 

2007 Rising Star
United Translators, Inc.
Adalia Jansen, President

The Fox Cities is becoming an ever increasing multi-cultural community.  Such diversity adds depth to our area, but can lead to language barriers.  To overcome such a barrier, Adalia Jansen founded United Translators, Inc. in 2002 to provide interpreting and translation services. 

United Translators provides highly qualified interpreters and translators for medical, legal, social, business and police situations.  Requirements include a high-level English proficiency with time invested in extensive training to perform the job. This includes verbal interpreting, written document translations as well as language and cultural tutoring. 

The company has grown from one employee in 2002 to seven full-time employees and more than 35 part-time employees.  The Fox Cities based business has increased an average of 300% per year.  They began by primarily servicing the Fox Cities, but now serve all of Northeast Wisconsin and Milwaukee.  Starting out they had five contracts per week and have grown to over 80 assignments per week.

The company has made such a difference that they captured the attention of Senator Herb Kohl’s office, which assisted them in gaining a federal grant to train legal interpreters.  Jansen recently joined the teaching staff at Fox Valley Technical College in the new medical interpreting certification program.

Jansen and United Translators have also served the community by working with the Community Foundation, United Way Fox Cities, Urban Hope and the Fox Valley Literacy Coalition.