Fast growers won't stop for slow economy.

The qualifications seemed simple enough: If you had a growing workforce and more than $15 million in sustained revenue, you were eligible for accounting firm Cherry, Bekaert & Holland LLP's first list of the fastest-growing middle-market companies in North Carolina.

But considering the growth had to occur between 2008 and 2010, Scott Duda knew the hundreds of surveys the firm sent out might have been asking too much. "That's a high bar for that period," says the managing partner of CBH's mid-Carolina division. The firm used a formula that took into account employee and revenue figures to find the winners. Not enough new hires was why many of the 60 or so that thought they made the cut ultimately didn't.

So the final product--intended to be a well-rounded 40--only features 32. But it's nothing short of diverse. From a military medical-equipment developer to a green roofer, the list typifies mainstay industries in the state. The companies listed and profiled--chosen because of their location, ranking...