NBDC Business Awards

In the time since purchasing Gary's Cleaning & Restoration in 2000, Roger Franklin has succeeded in growing the business and a reputation for top-quality service and personalized customer care. He and wife Lela are involved in many volunteer organizations and activities benefiting the Scottsbluff-Gering area.

Gary's Cleaning provides commercial and residential carpet cleaning, smoke, fire and water damage restoration; and reconstruction services—drywall, ceiling, flooring, plumbing, electrical and painting. Sub-contractors are used for plumbing and electrical services. Gary's employs 21 people, up from six employees at the time Franklin purchased the business.

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A veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard, Mark Santo has built his reputation for general contracting services by leveraging his past experience on government and military projects. He worked with Contractor Development Services Inc. to secure his first bid bond. Today, Mark VII Enterprises has a bonding capacity of $2.2 million. Santo's construction contracting company is a City of Omaha Tier-I Small Business, Economically Disadvantaged Total Small Business, and Center of Veteran Enterprise verified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.

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In the past few years, Bruckman Rubber Co. in Hastings, Neb., has expanded its export business to account for 15 to 20 percent of its sales, with a goal of building that figure nearer to 30 percent. Bruckman Rubber Co. offers a full spectrum of rubber parts manufacturing capabilities, from making the molds to crafting parts and providing die-cutting operations. Founded in 1961, The company has since grown to 80 employees manufacturing thousands of different rubber products, all to customer specifications. Bruckman Rubber currently sells products throughout the U.S. and in China, Mexico, Philippines, Canada, India, Japan and France. Jack Schreiner is president and CEO.

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LI-COR Biosciences is a global leader in developing and marketing innovative, high quality instrument systems used in the fields of biological and environmental sciences, climatology, molecular biology and translational research. The explosive growth in biotechnology research inspired LI COR´s early endeavors into DNA sequencing technology. LI-COR developed a DNA sequencer that was instrumental in cataloguing the human genome. LI-COR´s patented infrared dye technology incorporated into its biotechnology instruments is used worldwide for drug discovery and protein analysis.

LI-COR instruments, analysis software and reagents are used in more than 100 countries in studies ranging from global climate change to cancer research.

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KZCO Inc. began in 1976 with one product, the Hydra-Halt, a device that replaced manual control valves on fertilizer applicators with a new hydraulic remote-controlled valve. KZCO then became the first in the agriculture industry to bring an economical motorized ball valve concept to market. Over the next decade, KZCO introduced a wide variety of other agriculture and industrial products. Over the last three years, sales have grown more than 50 percent, with both organic growth and sales in new markets.

In 2012, KZCO was awarded one of eight Global Innovation Awards from John Deere and in November of 2014, after three years of product development, testing and validation, KZCO released a new line of products into the turf industry with the Toro Company being one of KZCO´s newest customers.

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Owner Russ Finch created a greenhouse design in which the indoor climate is warmed in the winter and cooled in the summer simply by using the Earth's natural temperature eight feet underground. The only energy used to maintain the temperature is a 10-inch wheel blower that circulates air, using a geothermal concept that conserves energy and reduces production costs.

Through his company, Greenhouse in the Snow, Finch sells detailed instructions for building the greenhouses, along with frames and Lexan Polycarbonate glazing in six-foot modules. To date, he has sold his greenhouses in six states, 90% of which are being used for commercial plant production.

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