Members of the Door County Economic Development Corporation took time to reflect on three decades of success while considering the future and participate in awards ceremonies honoring individuals and organizations that have made or are making their mark in the county at the organization’s annual meeting and luncheon Wednesday. The public/private agency held its first meeting in July of 1989 and embarked on a series of plans and initiatives that are continuing to benefit business and industry in the county. The annual meeting has also been the event where local businesses and individuals, are recognized with special awards.
Nathan Drager, owner and founder of Quantum PC in Sturgeon Bay, was presented the 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Founded in 2012, the firm has shown solid growth and has expanded to Green Bay and the Fox Valley.
The Industry of the Year designation was conferred on Cadence, Incorporated. The company has been operating in Sturgeon Bay since 1974 and showed its commitment to the community by construction of a state-of-the-art plant in the city’s industrial park.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to the late Ellsworth Peterson who was responsible for the emergence of Peterson Builders, Incorporated as a national force in the shipbuilding industry. At its peak, the company employed nearly 1,000 workers. He died in May of 2018 at the age of 94. The award was accepted by his widow, Carla Peterson.
