Top Women Owned Businesses nominees named

Grand Rapids Business Journal announced the 35 finalists for its Top Women Owned Businesses. All 35 were honored March 2 at a luncheon, Top Women Owned Businesses: A Celebration of Women Entrepreneurs was held at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Guest speaker was Bena Burda, founder of Maggie's Organics.

The nominees in the $0-$1.49 million revenue category are: Doreen Bolhuis, president/CEO, Gymco Inc., Grand Rapids; Kimberly Downey, president, Complete Investigations LLC and Admirroration LLC, Grand Rapids; Sue Drolema, owner, Taco Boy, Belmont; Floriza Genautis, founder/CEO, Management Business Solutions, Grand Rapids; Diane M. Jones, president, Professional Marketing, Grand Rapids; Cynthia Kay, president/CEO, Cynthia Kay & Co., Grand Rapids; Denise Kolesar, president/owner, Kohler Expos Inc., Grandville; Catherine Lazarock, president, Simplicity Communications Inc., Grand Rapids; Ping Liang, founder/managing director, AlphaMax Advisors, Ada; Julie Lough, president, Micro Visions Inc., Grand Rapids; Elaine Meyers, president, Meyers Cleaning Service Inc., Jenison; Amy Ruis, owner, Art of the Table, Grand Rapids; Jill Shepard, chairman of the board, CreekView Lodges, Marne; Gina VanGessel, owner/operator, Gina's Boutique, Grand Rapids; Sheila VanZile, president, Watermark Insurance Services, Grand Rapids; Be
verly Wall, CEO, Languages International Inc., Grand Rapids; and Amy Young, co-owner, Grand Connection Inc., Grand Rapids.

The nominees in the $1.5 million-$3.99 million revenue category are: Jill Batka, president, Dynamic Conveyor, Muskegon; Meg Goebel, president/CEO, Paul Goebel Group, Grand Rapids; Janis Kemper, co-owner, Northern Physical Therapy Services, Coopersville; Peaches McCahill, president/owner, The McCahill Group, Grand Rapids; Jamie Mills, president/owner, Mills Benefit Group LLC, Grand Rapids; Gina Otterbein, co-owner, Northern Physical Therapy Services, Coopersville; Karen Scarpino, president/owner, Promotional Impact Inc. and Green Giftz, Grand Rapids; Ginny Seyferth, president, SeyferthPR, Grand Rapids; and Chris F. Willis, CEO, Media 1, Grand Haven.

The nominees in the $4 million-$6.99 million revenue category are: Tammy Born, D.O., owner/medical director, Born Clinic, Grand Rapids; Jami Moore, president, JEM Tech Group, Mt. Clemens; Sally Mulder, CEO, Bursma Electronic Distributing Inc., Grand Rapids; Mary A. Nienhuis, president, North Coast Components Inc., Hudsonville; and Helen Zeerip, president/owner, Teddy's Transport, Holland.

The nominees in the $7 million or more revenue category are: Elise Benedict-Howard, CEO, University Moving and Storage Co. Inc., Grand Rapids; Amy Engelsman, CEO, Proos Manufacturing Inc., Grand Rapids; Dina McKnight, CEO/owner, Zip Xpress Inc., Holland; and Kathie VanderPloeg, CEO, Ship-Pac Inc., Kalamazoo.

Full profiles of the nominees appeared in the February 28, 2011 Business Journal.