As published in Toledo Business Journal - February 1, 2012
The 2012 Best of Lake Erie West Business recognition was conducted with a call for nominations and votes from readers of Toledo Business Journal, Development News, and Lake Erie West Manufacturing & Construction News. Multiple solicitations of readers occurred during October, November, and December 2011. In addition, a series of communications to owners and senior executives at area companies as well as partners and principals at area professional practices was also used to solicit nominations and votes. Through the use of targeted business publications and select mailings, solicitation of nominations and votes was aimed at owners and senior decision-makers at area corporations and professional practices.
To increase interest and participation, an offer of $2,000 of ad space in Toledo Business Journal was made. Participants who completed the voting process were offered a chance to have their company entered into a drawing to win this ad space.
Participants could choose to vote in three separate areas that included business, health, and manufacturing and construction. They could vote in one, two, or three of these areas. Within each area there were separate categories of business representing a broad range of markets covering significant economic activity in the region. There are over 50 market categories included in the program.
All participants were directed to Toledo Business Journal’s website at www.toledobiz.com. Voters were asked to include their name, company name, and contact information. Only ballots that contained complete voter identity information were included. This information was used to limit an individual to casting only one ballot in each of the three survey areas. In addition, software was put in place to allow only one ballot submittal from a computer for each of the three areas. Participants attempting multiple submittals from a computer received an electronic rejection notification if a ballot had been previously cast.
Voters were asked to select one nominee company in each market category. They were then asked to identify if they or their business was a customer of the nominee company. An approach was set up to weight each vote cast for companies that are a supplier of goods and services to a participating voter. This approach was used in order to incorporate the experience of customers of each of the nominee businesses and to have this experience impact the selection results.
Participants were also asked to identify the name of their business. An approach was put in place to weight the votes from individuals employed outside a nominee company. The number of votes accepted from owners and employees of a nominee has been limited.
It is important to note that the selection process is not a scientific examination of nominee businesses. The Best of Lake Erie West Business recognition is simply an assessment that incorporates the total votes cast by area business and other professionals into an approach that includes the weighting of experience by customers who have firsthand knowledge of the business or professional firm.
The response to our call for nominations and votes was well received and far exceeded expectations. It must be noted that the Best of Lake Erie West Business recognition is a young program and the selection process will continue to evolve and improve with time and experience.
An important thank you to all the business and other professionals who took the time to nominate and vote for area companies that have distinguished themselves through their approach to conducting business.
| ACCOUNTING FIRM | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gilmore, Jasion & Mahler, LTD | Spilman, Hills & Heidebrink, Ltd. | William Vaughan Company |
| BOTTLED WATER | ||
| Collingwood Water | Culligan of Northwest Ohio | Toledo Water Conditioning |
| BUSINESS RECORDS DESTRUCTION | ||
| AccuShred | Allshred Services, Inc. | Gateway Recycling |
| CATERER | ||
| City BBQ | The Pinnacle | Premier Catering |
| COFFEE BREAK SERVICE | ||
| Aramark Refreshment Services | Creative Refreshments Inc | |
| COMMERCIAL PRINTER | ||
| HOT Printing & Graphics | Homewood Press, Inc. | Metzgers |
| COMPUTER DEALER | ||
| Computer Discount | MacCafè | Virtual PC’s |
| COPY MACHINE DEALER | ||
| Goodremont’s Inc. | Perry Corporation | |
| CREDIT UNION | ||
| Directions Credit Union | Great Lakes Credit Union | Sun Federal Credit Union |
| DELIVERY SERVICE – LOCAL | ||
| Black & White Transportation | Priority Dispatch | Reliable Delivery |
| DIRECT MAIL | ||
| AIM Specialists | Mail It Corp. | Mail Works II |
| FINANCIAL PLANNING | ||
| Butler Capital Advisors | Creative Financial Partners | Savage and Associates Inc. |
| FLEET VEHICLE DEALER | ||
| Charlie’s Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram | Penske Truck Rental | Ryder |
| INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER | ||
| American Broadband | Buckeye TeleSystem | TOAST.net |
| OFFICE FURNITURE | ||
| Clair David Office Furniture & Design | Friends Business Source | OfficeMax |
| PAYROLL PREPARATION SERVICE | ||
| Data Service Center Inc. | Paychex, Inc. | Payroll Select Services |
| PERSONNEL STAFFING | ||
| Job1USA | Renhill Group, LLC | Supplemental Staffing |
| PUBLIC RELATIONS | ||
| FLS Group / Thread | Hart | R/P Marketing Public Relations |
| SECURITY GUARD SERVICE | ||
| Continental Secret Service Bureau, Inc. |
Securitas | |
| SECURITY / ALARM SERVICE | ||
| ADT | Guardian Burglar Alarm | |
| SIGN BUSINESS | ||
| Harmon Sign | National Illumination & Sign | Toledo Sign Company |
| STOCK BROKER | ||
| Edward Jones | Scottrade | UBS Financial Services, Inc. |
| TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT BUSINESS | ||
| CDS Telco | Roach-Reid Business Systems, Inc. |
Teletronics Communications, Inc. |
| TRAVEL AGENCY | ||
| AAA Northwest Ohio | Central Travel | Ottawa Hills Travel |
| TRUCK DEALER – LIGHT VEHICLES | ||
| Ed Schmidt GMC | Monroe Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram |
Yark Automotive Group |
| WEBSITE DESIGN | ||
| Aardvark, Inc. | Kinetica Media | Thread Marketing Group |
| WIRELESS RETAILER | ||
| American Cellular Enterprises, Inc. | Radio Shack | Verizon Wireless |
| CARDIOLOGY PRACTICE | ||
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Ohio Cardiology Consultants | Toledo Cardiology Consultant | UT Heart & Vascular Center |
| CHIROPRACTIC PRACTICE | ||
| 1st Choice Chiropractic | Frame Family Wellness Center |
|
| COSMETIC SURGERY PRACTICE | ||
| Dr. James Hunyadi, Plastic Surgery Consultants |
Frank Barone Plastic Surgery |
|
| DENTAL PRACTICE | ||
| Frankel Dentistry | Kenneth Brochin, DDS, LLC | Kozy DentalCare |
| FUNERAL HOME | ||
| Coyle Funeral Home | Walker Funeral Homes | |
| HEALTH / FITNESS CLUB | ||
| Urban Active | Wildwood Athletic Club | |
| HOSPITAL | ||
| Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center | St. Luke’s Hospital | The Toledo Hospital |
| MEDICAL IMAGING / RADIOLOGY PRACTICE | ||
| Imaging Central | ProMedica Radiology | Toledo Radiological Associates |
| OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH | ||
| ProMedica OccuHealth | Occupational Care Consultants | |
| OPTICAL GOODS RETAILER | ||
| Van Optical | Optical Arts, Inc. | |
| OPTOMETRY PRACTICE | ||
| OptiVue | Pinnacle Eye Group | Vision Associates, Inc. |
| RETIREMENT COMMUNITY | ||
| Kingston HealthCare | Lutheran Village at Wolf Creek | Sunset Retirement Communities |
| ARCHITECTURAL FIRM | ||
|---|---|---|
| Poggemeyer Design Group | SSOE Group | The Collaborative Inc |
| COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT RENTAL | ||
| NES Rentals | Ohio CAT | Sunbelt Rentals |
| COMMERCIAL ROOFING CONTRACTOR | ||
| Damschroder Roofing | Holt Roofing Co. | Nordmann Roofing |
| ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR | ||
| Romanoff Electric LLC. | Transtar Electric, Security & Technologies |
Turner Electrical Services |
| ENGINEERING FIRM | ||
| Bowser-Morner, Inc. | The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc. | Matrix Technologies |
| FIRE & WATER DAMAGE CONTRACTOR | ||
| Cleaner & Dryer | Cousino Harris Disaster Kleenup | |
| MACHINING & TOOLING BUSINESS | ||
| Jerl Machine, Inc. | Lockrey Manufacturing | ORT Tool & Die Corp. |
| MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR | ||
| Dimech Services, Inc. | Dunbar Mechanical, Inc. | GEM Inc. |
| TRUCK DEALER – HEAVY VEHICLES | ||
| Ed Schmidt Truck Store | Freightliner | |
| UNIFORM SERVICE | ||
| Aramark Uniform | Arrow Uniform | Cintas |
| WAREHOUSING & STORAGE | ||
| Spartan Warehouse | Willis Day Storage Company | |
| WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICE | ||
| Allied Waste Services | H.A.I. Dumpsters | |