The Success Award Hall of Fame

The purpose of the Success Award is to recognize the achievements of an individual whose business is located within Seminole County. To win this award, the recipient must have demonstrated high moral standards, have been a professional in Seminole County for the past five years, be known for having a good reputation as an ethical business person and have demonstrated strong civic, cultural and charitable responsibilities.

2008

Brindley Pieters is President of Brindley Pieters and Associates, a certified minority-owned, disadvantaged engineering consulting firm. Pieters founded the firm in 1991. It has grown from a staff of three to a skilled staff of 60 professionals with gross revenues of almost $7 million. He earned a trip to the White House to receive an award from President Bush as runner up for the 2001 National Small Business Person of the Year. Some of the civic and charitable organizations to which Pieters gives his time are the Black Business Investment Fund, the National Society of Black Engineers, the Negro Spiritual College Scholarship Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America, the University of Central Florida Foundation, the Sanford Airport Authority and MetroPlan Orlando. He also commits his time in speaking engagements for such organizations as Junior Achievement of America, Inc. and is a member of the 100 Black Men of America.

2007

Larry Dale is the director of the Sanford Airport and former mayor of Sanford. He is a certified private pilot since he was in high school in 1972 and is an Airline Transport Pilot, the rating of commercial pilots. He is a certified law enforcement officer and was the assistant fire chief for the voluntary fire department in Lake Mary. Dale also served as Commissioner of the Planning and Zoning Division in Lake Mary (the first one to hold this position), Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Seminole Community College and Chairman of the Seminole County Board Authority. Other boards on which he has served include the executive committee for the Republican Party in Seminole County, President of the Private Business Association of Seminole (PBAS), member of the Central Florida council of the Boys Scouts of America and is an active member of the Baptist church in Sanford.

2006

John K. Ritenour is, along with his wife, the founder of Insurance Office of America, the largest privately held insurance agency in Florida and the 24th largest in the nation. He has distinguished himself with a management style geared toward the welfare of his employees, creating a fun and profitable working environment that encourages rather than discourages hard work. He is active in charitable organizations and raises money for beneficiaries all over Central Florida.

2005

John Williams, president and COO of Wayne Densch, Inc., an Anheuser-Busch distributor in Sanford, is the sixth recipient of the annual Success Award. Williams exemplifies the Success Award with his long-standing endeavors to promote business growth throughout Seminole County. Williams is not only a respected member of the business community, but an active volunteer and philanthropist whose special projects have included the Wayne Densch Scout Center, the Wayne Densch YMCA, the Wayne Densch Athletic Center at the University of Central Florida and the Wayne Densch Discovery Center at the Central Florida Zoo.

2004

William Miller is the recipient of the fifth annual Success Award. Miller has continued his long standing endeavors to promote business growth throughout Seminole County. Miller contributes greatly to the local economy not only through his ventures in Suda, Inc. as a builder and developer, but as a tireless volunteer for the building industry and the Orlando Sanford International Airport. He served as President of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Metro Orlando in 1989 and 1999 and also as Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary in previous years. He has also served as Parade of Homes Chairman, Seminole County Governmental Affairs Chairman and Governmental Affairs Task Force Chairman. He was named Builder of the year in 1990 and Top Builder member recruiter for two consecutive years. He has also served as a board member of the Sanford Airport Authority since 1992 and as the Chairman each year since 2002.

2003

The fourth recipient of the Success Award for Business Achievement in Seminole County is Dede Schaffner, Coordinator-Community Involvement/Public Information Officer for Seminole County Public Schools.

2002

Art Grindle is the recipient of the third annual Success Award. Grindle is still recognized today for his Wheel Ranch auto dealership television ads announcing "I want to sell you a car." Grindle has additionally worked as a stock broker, insurance agent, mortgage broker, investor and professor. He has also been very involved in the community and his service includes several area chambers of commerce and the Seminole South Rotary Club. He was co-creator of the annual Seminole Community College Dream Auction and has volunteered as the host of the Cerebral Palsy Telethon and the president of the Leukemia Society of Central Florida.

2001

Jeno Paulucci is the recipient of the second annual Success Award. In addition to leading the Paulucci family in the development of Heathrow, Paulucci is probably best known as a highly successful entrepreneur. He has created, financed or led more than 50 companies and enterprises, many to international leadership. He began by borrowing $2,500 to create Chun King, sold the company 20 years later for $63 million cash to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, then went on to be founding chairman of R.J. Reynolds Foods, now the RJR-Nabisco giant. Paulucci's separate Northland Foods company had been making Wilderness pie fillings and Jeno's pizza mixes since 1950. Following was the phenomenal success of Jeno's Pizza Rolls, sold in part to the Pillsbury Company for $150 million. Paulucci is also the founder of Michelina's frozen entrees and Luigino's. Additionally, he recently aquired the All-American Gourmet Co., bringing Budget Gourmet Value Classics under the same corporate umbrella as Michelena's frozen entrees and snacks. Paulucci has served as an advisor and counselor to Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush and founded and financed the National Italian American Foundation.

2000

Bob Hattaway, president of Adult Toy Storage, is the first recipient of the annual Success Award. Hattaway began his long business career with the formation of Hattaway Inc./Hattaway Greenhouses. In 1989, he converted a 500,000 square foot nursury into Adult Toy Storage, a warehouse facility where cars, boats, RVs and airplanes are stored Hattaway has additionally served as the president of the Florida Jaycees and vice president of the U.S. Jaycees; was elected to the Florida House of Representatives; served as a member of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, the Florida Lottery Commission and the Board of Governors of the National Conference.