2006 Dynamic Dozen lead local economy

But something that all the companies have in common is growth – and lots of it.

All of the companies nominated had to “show the money” and their growth to CPA firm Elliott, Robinson & Co., which serves as the independent judge for Dynamic Dozen.

Eligibility requirements for Dynamic Dozen are pretty straightforward:

• Companies must have their headquarters in SBJ’s readership area, which is the area within a 50-mile radius of Springfield.

• Companies must have annual revenues of at least $500,000 for each of the last three years.

• Companies can nominate themselves or be nominated by an outside party, and then they must complete applications, providing their gross revenues for each of the last three years.

Once Elliott, Robinson & Co. gets application information, the judging begins. Honorees are chosen based on gross revenue growth over the last three years. Gross revenue includes fee-for-service dollars only and does not include trade dollars or donations.

The results are tabulated using a formula that incorporates both dollar and percentage growth.

Once the companies have been selected, the SBJ editorial department steps in, gathering information for articles featuring each honored company, and those are the stories that you will see on the following pages.

The 2006 Dynamic Dozen companies are in all sorts of industries, from insurance to technology, transportation to retail and manufacturing to health care. And while the companies’ growth occurred for numerous different reasons, one thing is clear: Business is booming in the Ozarks.

While the Dynamic Dozen companies, according to the rules, must be based in the Ozarks, it’s interesting to see how their economic influence reaches much further. Turblex, which is No. 2 on the list, manufactures compressors commonly used in municipal waste-water treatment and solid-waste removal, with clients are scattered all across the country, from Hawaii and Nebraska.

Banta Foods, at No. 7, has carved a niche for itself serving regional and national franchise restaurants, including Applebee’s and Panera Bread, in a 10-state area.

SLS International Inc., dba SLS Loudspeakers, No. 5, already has rolled out its Q-Line Silver speaker line in Wal-Mart stores and is gearing up to launch Q-Line Gold at Best Buy stores. SLS has received endorsements from Quincy Jones, and its products will geet air time on “The Apprentice.”

That’s not to say, though, that for exceptional growth, companies must go outside of Missouri. Several of the 2006 Dynamic Dozen honorees are doing just fine right here at home. For example, there is Integrity Home Care, which is ranked No. 1, and is the only company to have been named to the Dynamic Dozen all three years. Integrity’s three-year growth rate is 214 percent, and the company has added locations in Joplin and in Columbia.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of journalism – at least for this writer – is that it provides an opportunity to meet some interesting people and to learn about and learn from their experiences. This issue is a prime example of that. Officials with these companies have handled growth differently, and have learned different lessons from it. But as they drive their companies toward greater success, they’re also pushing the local economy onward and upward.

Click here to read about each of the honored companies.