Spirit of Entrepreneur awards finalists named

Thirty-two entities have been named finalists in the 2023 Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards, the annual competition sponsored by the the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino.

More than 250 nominations were submitted in seven categories. The 2023 Spirit of the Entrepreneur Award finalists include:

CORPORATE ENTREPRENEUR:

• Cal Pacific Constructors, Inc., Kirby Hays – Riverside
• Columbia Aluminum Products, LLC, Drew Mumford Sr – Corona
• Technical Employment Training Inc., Virginia Martinez – San Bernardino
• Williams Furnace Company, Williams Comfort Products, Thinh Pho – Colton

FOOD/HOSPITALITY/ENTERTAINMENT:

• Angelo’s Brick Oven Pizzeria, Angelo Catalano – Wildomar
• Arcade Coffee Roasters, Stephen Hasemeyer – Riverside
• E.A.T Marketplace, Leah Di Bernardo and Joanne Di Bernardo – Temecula
• Gram’s BBQ Restaurant & Catering, Benita Bratton – Riverside
• My Healthy Penguin, Christine Holyfield – Rancho Cucamonga

GENERAL ENTREPRENEUR

• A&R Tarpaulins, Inc., Bud Weisbart – Fontana
• California Smog Institute, CSAI Auto Service, CSAI Smog Check Center & Sage Leadership Academy, Jonathan and Patricia Summers – Riverside
• Composition Hospitality, Jeffrey Luchonok – Ontario
• H&S Transport Inc., Prospero Collado – Fontana
• North Shore Greenhouses, Inc., Suzette Overgaag – Thermal

HEALTHCARE ENTREPRENEUR

• 360 Human Services, Harry Jackson – Victorville
• MVS, Inc. (Mountain View Services), Eric Goodman – Redlands
• Symons Emergency Specialties Inc. DBA Symbiosis, Jeff Grange – Redlands

NONPROFIT ENTREPRENEUR

• Blindness Support Services, Pete Benavidez – Riverside
• Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce | Welborn Media, Zeb Welborn – Chino
• Greater Ontario Business Council, Peggi Hazlett – Ontario

SERVICE-BASED ENTREPRENEUR

• Active IT Solutions, Inc., David Shay – Riverside
• Bid Fast and Last, Jeff Patterson and Johan Graham – Hesperia
• Biztek Solutions, Inc., Derek Anderson – Riverside
• Murrish Maintenance Construction Services LLC, Suzie Murrish – Ontario
• Shoup Legal, Andrea K. Shoup – Murrieta
• Tomorrow’s Talent, Dale Marsden, EdD – San Bernardino

SMALL/EMERGING ENTERPRISE

• Cinderella’s Closet Your Specialty Lingerie Boutique, Dana Walker-Jackson – Rancho Cucamonga
• Heyward Marketing Lab, Chastity Heyward – Temecula
• McKell Partners Wealth Management, Mark McKell, CPA & Adam McKell, CPA- Riverside
• Roses Say, Rose Study – Chino Hills
• Vested Solutions, Vernon WyllieJames – Desert Hot Springs

Finalists will compete for the Spirit of the Entrepreneur award at a black-tie gala scheduled to be held Nov. 15 at the Riverside Convention Center. Attendees can RESERVE TICKETS ONLINE with direct seat selection. Ticket prices range from $145 each for Gala seating to $195 each for VIP seating.