Rotary Program: 1/11/06
Program Chairperson: Jay Narola
Speakers: Jerry Kanney & Dennis Rohrer - 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Today’s program was dedicated to sharing the highlights of the 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Awards for Business Leadership held in Palm Springs, California in which Jerry and Denny were Regional Award Winners and finalists for the national award. According to David Hughes, Managing Partner of the Cincinnati office of E & Y, “For the past 19 years, Ernst and Young has proudly recognized outstanding business leaders as they develop new technologies, create faster ways to distribute goods and services, and improve the quality of life for the people around them. This year’s participants have succeeded through turbulent economic times and emerged even stronger and we are inspired by their achievements.” Jerry and Denny established Interstate Natural Gas in 1999 and have grown steadily through the years, creating jobs for 80 people. Their entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to their community can be clearly seen in their willingness to share their success through public service and charitable giving to organizations like the Rotary Club, Special Olympics, Pikeville College, the local YMCA, the Saint Francis School as well as the Ky. Oil and Gas Association.
Other Kentucky finalists for the award, included W. Kent Taylor, owner of 107 Texas Roadhouse restaurants in 27 states and Bill Samuels, Jr., whose godfather was Jim Beam, president of Maker’s Mark Distilleries, producing 1.5 million distilled barrels of bourbon whiskey a year. Highlights of the National Awards Ceremony included new job opportunities, innovations, commitment to quality standards, empowerment of the people who work in business, the ability to sustain growth and how these businesses have created over 850,000 jobs in the past year. The Master of Ceremonies at the Palm Springs resort was Jay Leno, star of the Tonight Show on NBC - TV. Keynote speakers included H. Wayne Huizenga, who started out managing three garbage collection routes in Southern Florida and now has 6 New York Stock Exchange-listed companies including the world’s largest and third-largest waste disposal companies, Blockbuster Video, 475 Extended Stay America hotels, Auto Nation, and Republic Industries. Other speakers included Carl J. Schramm, author of the book “The Entrepreneurial Imperative” and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, and Richard Teerlink, retired chairman of Harley-Davidson Corporation. Then finally, the winner of the 2005 E & Y Entrepreneur of the Year was awarded to Arthur M. Blank, founder and owner of the Atlanta Falcons and Co-owner of Home Depot. Some business wisdom, Mr. Blank shared included:
* “Hire the best people and pay them a good wage.”
* “Solicit the opinions of your employees on a regular basis.”
* “Payroll is not an expense, it is an investment.”
* “Invest in the best people and then ask them to give their best in return.”
* “I don’t look at giving back as a duty. It is an opportunity.”
* “Put the people you serve first and success will likely follow.”
* “Innovation is a continuous process.”
* “Creating value depends on values.”
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has given more than $160 million to numerous non-profit organizations. - JMC