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Peter Herschend accepts the 2016 Lifetime Achievement in Business award from Springfield Business Journal.
Peter Herschend accepts the 2016 Lifetime Achievement in Business award from Springfield Business Journal.

Herschend headlines 17th annual Economic Impact Awards

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Peter Herschend stole the show last night as Springfield Business Journal doled out 18 awards during the 17th annual Economic Impact Awards.

Over 200 people were on hand at the Ramada Oasis Convention Center to celebrate business accomplishments of individual professionals and companies in four categories based on longevity.

Herschend co-founded Silver Dollar City in 1960 with his stepbrother Jack, and the family business has grown to own and operate 22 theme park and entertainment properties under the privately held Herschend Family Entertainment Corp. umbrella. Entities include Dollywood, Ride the Ducks, Adventure Aquarium and The Harlem Globetrotters.

It all started with Marvel Cave, which the Herschend family purchased in 1950. (Watch a video interview with Peter and staff members.)

“Silver Dollar City and Herschend Family Entertainment is not a story about me,” the 81-year-old Herschend said. “It is a story about … 25,000-30,000 employees of the company. This is their story.”

During Herschend’s 10-minute acceptance speech, he told stories of employees, including 50-year employee Rick Todd, and thanked longtime corporate partners, pointing out the 53 years of doing business with Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. Then he called his brother Jack to the stage.

“Every chair you’ve ever purchased has four legs. Here are the four legs that make our company what it is,” he told the crowd.

Chosen by an independent panel of judges, other awards were presented in four categories based on years in business: one to five years, six to 15 years, 16 to 29 years and 30-plus years. In each category, the top honors are listed first:

• 1-5 years: Hurts Donut Co., Phoenix Home Care Inc. and Revel Advertising;

• 6-15 years: CNH Reman LLC, Everything Kitchens LLC and Paragon Architecture Inc.;

• 16-29 years: JMark Business Solutions Inc., Gold Mechanical Inc. and Russell Cellular Inc.; and

• 30-plus years: CoxHealth, Citizens Memorial Healthcare and Pyramid Foods.

Individual Economic Impact Award winners:
• Entrepreneur of the Year: brothers John and Billy McQueary of Hotel Vandivort;

• Business Advocate of the Year: Eric Burlison, state representative;

• Philanthropic Business of the Year: Jared Enterprises Inc.;

• Community Involvement Champion: Crista Hogan of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association; and

• Charitable Nonprofit of the Year: Isabel’s House.

During the event, SBJ Publisher Jennifer Jackson introduced the crowd to a new content platform called sbjLive. The audience watched a video introduction and was invited to join the launch part Sept. 1.

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