University News
Carthage, Quincy, Macomb Entrepreneurs Win Business Plan Competition
July 23, 2007
MACOMB, IL -- Professional Swine Management of Carthage (IL), Smith Garden Center and Landscaping, Inc. of Macomb and Scottie's Skateland of Quincy (IL) have been selected as the winners of the Regional Business Plan Competition sponsored by the Western Illinois Entrepreneurship Center Network.
In Spring 2007, the Entrepreneurship Center Network sponsored a regional business plan competition for start-ups or expansion of existing businesses with high growth potential. According to Sarah Shike, interim center director in Macomb, winners in the competition, Professional Swine Management (PSM), owned by Joseph Connor and Ken Haas; Smith Garden Center, owned by Justin and Brandon Smith; and Scottie's Skateland, owned by Robert and Janice Scott, each received $15,000 in the expansion division to help them develop new markets, add services and increase product inventory.
Sport Zone of Macomb, owned by Lisa and Jeff Kugler, was awarded $5,000 in the start-up division. Both awards require a dollar-for-dollar match from the winners. In order to qualify for the competition, the business must be located within the nine-county region of western Illinois (Adams, Brown, Hancock, Henderson, Knox, McDonough, Pike, Schuyler and Warren counties).
"Each of the winners demonstrated the potential for high growth, which is the objective of the program," Shike said. "The competition serves as a learning experience for each participant as they learned how to put together business plans. Those who were not selected to receive an award were linked with additional resources such as the Illinois Small Business Development Center to further discuss business development."
According to Connor, PSM was formed in 2001 in Carthage to help independent swine producers maintain viability in the pork market. PSM currently manages more than 70,000 sows on farms located throughout the Midwest, as well as providing consultation services for the care of more than 500,000 sows worldwide. In addition, PSM has developed a series of multimedia swine training lessons designed to provide cost-effective and engaging training to swine producers and swine industry professionals, including veterinary universities in North, South and Central America, as well as Latin and European countries.
Scottie's Skateland is a family-owned business operating for more than 70 years. In 1993, Robert and Janice Scott purchased the Quincy roller skating rink and stock car race track, adding a 5,000-square-foot building to the operation in 2000 to accommodate birthday party rooms and a snack bar. The race track was sold earlier this year, to facilitate the expansion of a multi-attraction Family Fun Center. According to the Scotts, the focus is presently on transforming the existing business into a family entertainment center, intended to appeal to families seeking a "mini-vacation." Services will be expanded to include laser tag, 65 arcade games, an outdoor go-kart track, mini-bowling lanes, bumper cars and a larger snack bar.
The Smith brothers' focus is on the production and distribution of ornamental concrete products, including memorial and garden stones, as well as statues and planters. In conjunction with the memorial stones, the Smiths have a metal works operation producing wrought iron easels to display the stones. According to the Smiths, their business is a family-owned partnership, with four years of involvement in the industry. The company provides their products to Midwestern floral shops, greenhouses and garden centers in eight states.
Sport Zone is a retail operation that stocks athletic gear for a variety of sports, as well as WIU logo apparel, cheerleading gear and fan apparel. According to the Kuglers, their objective is to expand hours to accommodate working individuals, as well as add items for the sorority and fraternity population. Online shopping services will also be implemented, allowing consumers to purchase custom items for each school within a 50-mile radius. Additionally, the customer service area will have access to a regional salesperson, providing onsite visits to coaches and athletic directors, as well as delivery of purchased goods. Services will also include the consumers' ability to fill specialized orders online and receive delivery within a one week timeframe.
The Western Illinois Entrepreneurship Center Network was created under Governor Rod Blagojevich's Opportunity Returns program through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The Entrepreneurship Center Network, as part of the DCEO's Illinois Entrepreneurship Center Network, provides entrepreneurs and established businesses with the expertise, resources and tools to ensure successful ventures.
For more information, contact Shike at 309/836-2700 in Macomb; Charles Bell, manager of the Quincy Entrepreneurship Center at 217/223-4313; or Dick Johnson, manager of the Galesburg Entrepreneurship Center at 309/343-1194; or visit www.wiuec.org.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: