Sixteen businesses named as finalists for 2024 MARKETPLACE Wisconsin awards

MADISON, WI. NOV. 15, 2024 – Sixteen Wisconsin companies and individuals have been named as finalists for the 2024 MARKETPLACE Governor’s Awards, which honor Wisconsin businesses owned by diverse-owned businesses, including those owned by minorities, women and service-disabled veterans, and their advocates.

Winners will be announced at the Governor’s Awards Luncheon on Thursday, Dec. 12, at the 43rd annual MARKETPLACE: the Governor’s Conference on Diverse Business Development. The event will be held at the Baird Center in Milwaukee with the support of more than 20 sponsors.

Awards are given to Wisconsin companies that are certified as a minority-owned business enterprise (MBE), woman-owned business enterprises (WBE) or disabled veteran-owned businesses (DVB), as well as non-profits and individuals who work to support these businesses.

The finalists in the Outstanding Business Award category are:

• Confluence Graphics, Inc., Milwaukee
• Seven Generation Contractors, LLC, Fort Atkinson
• Whitson Wonder Productions, Menomonee Falls
• WholeTrees Structures, Madison

The finalists in Best Workplace of the Year Award category are:

• Earthly Temptation, LLC, Madison
• HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary Café, LLC, Milwaukee

The finalists in the Diverse Business Champion of the Year Award category are:

• June Perry-Stevens and Krystle Rogers, BestEd Business, Mequon
• Amanda Roman, Domina Consulting, Inc., Racine
• John C. Hunzinger, Hunzinger Construction Co., Brookfield
• Jerina Vincent, JNJ Gifts and More, Verona
• Willie Smith, Northwest Side Community Development Corp., Milwaukee

The finalists in the CEO of the Year Award category are:

• David Crawford, Crawford Evaluation Group, Waukesha
• Action Jackson, Jackson’s Yard Care, LLC, Sun Prairie
• Marina Ilari, Terra Translations, Milwaukee

The finalists in the Thought Leadership Excellence Award category are:

• Shawn Gulyas, humanworks8, Milwaukee
• Juan Gabriel Moreno and Laura Flores, JGMA, Milwaukee

MARKETPLACE will take place in-person Dec. 11-12 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee and virtually on Dec. 10 for The Contracting Academy (TCA) sessions. Businesses can register at marketplacewisconsin.com.

Entering its 43rd year, MARKETPLACE helps Wisconsin businesses learn about contracting with state, federal, and local agencies as well as corporations, which represent billions of dollars of annual purchasing power. During the conference, participants connect with government and corporate buyers as well as other small businesses and service providers through networking sessions, virtual workshops, panel discussions, buyer meetings, and more.

While MARKETPLACE is open to all Wisconsin business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, conference content is specifically crafted for small, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and LGBTQ-owned business enterprises and HUBZone businesses. These companies can connect with resources and potentially make a deal or lay the framework for a future contract.

MARKETPLACE Wisconsin is presented by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and is supported by more than 20 sponsors.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.