News Article
Entrepreneur Hall of Fame to Honor 28
Publication: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Date: February 28, 2006
Author: The Chicago Sun-Times
Section: Financial
Edition: Final
The Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, presented by the University of Illinois at Chicago's Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, will induct 28 new members on Wednesday at a dinner at the Chicago Hilton & Towers. In addition, Edward George Gardner and wife Bettiann Gardner, founders of Soft Sheen Products, will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The new inductees are:
From Chicago. Andrew Berlin, president, CEO, Berlin Packaging; Howard Blair, president, Development Resources; James DeRose, chairman, Development Resources; Gerry Oguss, president, CEO, G.O. Parking; Robert Smith, CEO, General Truck Parts; Lucas Roh, president, CEO, Hostway Corp.; John Haskins, president, CEO, Jet Support Services.; Rodney Egle, vice president, Promet Steel; Nick Laphen, president, Promet Steel; Susan Rutsen, partner, Rutsen Meier Belmont Group; Fred Mason, president, Stainless Sales Corp.; Ronald Shipka Sr., principal, the Enterprise Companies.
Downers Grove: Timothy Yario, president, Column Technologies.
Elgin: Selim Bassoul, CEO, chairman, Middleby Corp.
Elk Grove Village: Michael Petersen, president, Petersen Aluminum Corp.
Franklin Park: Conrad Lowell, president, CEO, Lowell International Co.
Inverness: Jay Fritz, chairman, CEO, Royal American Bank.
Itasca: Armond Dinverno, co-president, Balasa Dinverno & Foltz; Robert Hakman, president, CEO, Diversified Labeling Solutions.
Niles: Cary Schack, president, Rico Industries; Bernard Schack, vice president, Rico Industries.
Northbrook: Steven Lesnik, chairman, CEO, Kemper Sports Management; Bob Geras, president, LaSalle Investments.
Oak Brook: Dick Portillo, founder, Portillo Restaurant Group.
Schaumburg: Michael DeLazzer, CEO, GetAMovie Inc.
Waukegan: Lorraine Jette, president, Jett Services.
Edward and Bettiann Gardner, recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, launched Soft Sheen Products from their basement in Chicago in 1964. With brands such as Optimum and Care Free Curl, Soft Sheen Products grew into a multimillion dollar enterprise employing more than 400 here.
The company developed into a global force, exporting its products to Canada, the Caribbean and West Africa.
In 1998, the Gardners sold their family-run business to L'Oreal of Paris.
Soft Sheen Products was operated until 2001 by their daughter, Terri.
Copyright (c) 2006 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.
