Small-business winners: U.S. small business administration honors Indiana entrepreneurs and supporters.

• Author: Cole, Stacy
• Position: Cover Story - Brief Article

SMALL-BUSINESS PERSONS OF THE YEAR

Changes have defined OK Champion in Hammond since 1897, and successfully maneuvering through those changes has helped the company to remain strong over the decades.

First founded as the Champion Potato Machinery Co., Otto Knoerzer built the company to produce machinery for the agricultural industry. The company's current name honors the founder by adding his initials.

After making sewer cleaners in the early 1900s, communications and utilities products have become the company's main business. OK Champion employs 42 and produces cable pullers, reel loaders, handlers and trailers for utilities and the telecommunications industry. Customers can purchase equipment either through dealers or directly from the manufacturer's sales team.

Quality has been the most important concern for the company, rather than 'the quantity of new business. "We're able to concentrate on building machines designed to do specific jobs and worry about the quality of it," says Paul Knoerzer, president of the company and great grandson of founder Otto.

The specialization of OK Champion's products has necessitated working closely with customers to solve their problems and discover new ways to meet their needs. "We're not out trying to create markets. What we're trying to do is solve the problems our customers have," Knoerzer says.

The recent communications boom helped the company to increase its revenue base, says Harvey Reed, company vice president and another of the honorees. Kansas City Power and BellSouth are among the company's national customers.

Through the years, the company has remained family-owned. Company chairman Peter Knoerzer and Kate Knoerzer, assistant treasurer-secretary, were also honored with the Small-Business Person of the Year Award.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS AWARD

After starting their business in 1992, Thomas Adams and Bradley Hendrickson have shown their company is in it for the long haul. As one of Indiana's fastest-growing companies, Crown Electrical Services and Automation in Portage has proved itself to be strong in its market. "You can't be in it to make a quick buck," says Adams, president and general manager. "You have to have dedication and patience."

Employing 85, Crown ESA specializes in process-control systems and industrial electrical automation equipment, serving steel mills, auto suppliers and the food industry. Growth for the company has been phenomenal, at 30 to 40 percent each year, according to Adams.

The company originated in a small office space, and within six months the company had its third employee, William English, who is currently vice president, lead project engineer. In the next four years, marketing vice president David Jancosek stepped aboard. Hendrickson serves as vice president, engineering manager. The company's growth accelerated in 1999, when it nearly doubled in size after acquiring PK Engineering, also in Portage, and a 32,000-square-foot building.

Many factors have contributed to the success of the company, inducting knowledge of both old and new electrical systems. Integrating a new system to old wiring takes a special kind of experience. Much of the company's business comes from the steel industry. The engineers of Crown ESA have extensive experience with coal and coke plant automation as well as wastewater treatment, blast furnaces and boilerhouse-control systems.

EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

Exporting successfully relies on more than a great product and good marketing-it takes time, energy and a specialization few others can compete with to get the job done, says Rick Ahaus, president of Ahaus Tool and Engineering Inc. in Richmond.

"It's difficult to compete in the export business unless we have something very special that other manufacturers have not learned to do or have chosen not to do," he says, For example, Ahaus has had a worldwide reputation for good-quality radiator-assembly equipment for the last 16 years.

In addition, Ahaus manufactures machining, welding, tooling and inspecting equipment. The company, with about 140 employees, expects to do about $13 million...