 |
|
Countryside Feed, located in the Hillsboro Industrial Park, is one of three finalists for the Governor?s Award, one of two top awards a business can receive from the state of Kansas. The company was incorporated in 1997 and moved into the industrial park in 1999. |
Countryside Feed LLC, based in Hillsboro, has been named a finalist for the Gover?nor?s Award of Excellence, one of the highest honors a business can receive from the state.
The award is presented annually through the Kansas Depart?ment of Commerce to the business that best represents the state?s ideals in leadership, service and contributions to the economy.
Gov. Mark Parkinson will announce the award winner June 25 at the annual Kansas Cavalry Encampment at John?son County Community College.
Two other finalists were selected: BTI-Greensburg, located in Greensburg, and Citizens Medi?cal Center Inc. in Colby.
Countryside Feed was nominated by the Hillsboro Develop?ment Corp. for recognition through KDOC?s annual ?Busi?ness Appreciation Month,? along with two other local entities, Tabor College Inc. and The Lumberyard.
The latter two are among 151 nominees who received Merit Awards from KDOC. They were nominated in the categories of ?Non-Profit? and ?Retail,? respectively.
Twenty-eight other businesses received Regional Business Excellence Awards.
Meanwhile, Countryside Feed, nominated in the ?Manu?facturing? category, was picked as one of three finalists for the Governor?s Award. Five businesses were selected as finalists for the other top award, Governor?s Exporter of the Year.
After receiving word of their selection, representatives from each of the companies made a presentation to a panel of six judges in Topeka.
?We had to prepare a PowerPoint presentation from 20 to 30 minutes, then be prepared to answer questions for another 20 minutes or so,? said Lyman Adams, general manager of Cooperative Grain & Supply, one of the Countryside Feed partners.
The judges asked to hear about each company?s business growth and success, economic impact and involvement with the community.
?We were pleasantly surprised and honored to even be a finalist,? Adams said. ?It was a new experience for all of us to go up and present the story of Countryside Feed in front of a panel of judges.?
Luke Lindsay, operations manager at Countryside Feed, took the announcement of being a finalist in stride.
?It?s a nice pat on the back, I suppose, but beyond that I?m not sure how it will make a difference for our business,? he said.
Countryside Feed was incorporated in September 1997 with operations located first at the CG&S elevator. The company shifted production to a new $4.5 million automated facility in the Hillsboro Industrial Park in fall 1999.
Joining CG&S as partners in the venture are Mid-Kansas Cooperative in Moundridge, Farmers Cooperative Elevator Co. in Halstead, Farmers Co-op in Andale, North Central Kansas Cooperative in Hope and Land O?Lakes Purina Feed.
The company has feed mills in Hillsboro and Moundridge and employees 32 people.
Sometime after the June 25 announcement is made, the Hillsboro Development Corp. will be sponsoring a local reception for all three nominated businesses, according to Clint Seibel, executive director.
