27 outstanding entrepreneurs selected as finalists from a pool of more than 130 nominees!
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., September 26, 2014 – The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at Cal State San Bernardino announced the finalists for this year’s Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards program. The award recipients will be announced at the Nov. 13 black-tie gala at the Riverside Convention Center. 
"Once again we had a strong pool of semi-finalists that represented a diverse set of businesses from throughout the region," said Mike Stull, director of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship. "The judges had a difficult task in narrowing down the field. Those selected as finalists represent the best and most unique companies of the Inland Empire."
The 2014 Inland Empire entrepreneurial finalists include: 
Family Business
		
	Steve and Kathy Nichols - Chino Valley Ranchers - Colton	
	Sheila Bath - Advance Disposal Co.  - Hesperia	
	Ray, Shaun, Nicole (Clesceri) Russell, and Angel Sanchez, Jr. - Phenix Technology, Inc.  - Riverside	
		
General Entrepreneur
		
	Alan Boudreau - Boudreau Pipeline Corporation - Corona	
	Evan Cohen - Quality Marble & Granite - Ontario	
	Connie Lightcap - JC Supply & Manufacturing -  Ontario	
		
Innovator Entrepreneur
		
	Shannon Illingworth - AVT, Inc.  - Corona	
	M. Sharon Rogone - Small Beginnings, Inc.  - Hesperia	
	Adel Sayegh - Universal Surveillance Systems, LLC - Rancho Cucamonga	
		
Manufacturing Entrepreneur
		
	Michael Hellmers - ESL Power Systems, Inc. - Corona	
	Jeffrey Lyall - R.W. Lyall & Company, Inc. -  Corona	
	Terri Rogers - O.W. Lee Co., Inc. - Ontario	
		
Contract Manufacturing
		
	Mark Atchison - AMA Plastics - Riverside	
	Mark Peabody - Peabody Engineering & Supply, Inc - Corona	
	Cheryl Young & Jennifer Hall - Ejay Filtration, Inc. - Riverside	
		
Service-Based Entrepreneur
		
	Brad McDermith - Computer Options, Inc. - Redlands	
	B.J. Patterson - Pacific Mountain Logistics, LLC - Ontario	
	Heather Petersen - National Merchants Association - Temecula	
		
Small or Emerging Enterprise
		
	Hari Dhiman - 88 Spirits Corporation - Ontario	
	Kenya Mills - Innovative Infusion Solutions - Corona	
	Gene Sherman - VOCADEMY - The Makerspace - Riverside	
		
Social Entrepreneur
		
	Yolanda Carrillo - Corona-Norco Family YMCA - Corona	
	Angela Janus - ShareKitchen -  Cathedral City	
	Vici Nagel - Academy For Grassroots Organizations - Phelan	
		
Supporter of Entrepreneurship
		
	Tom Flavin and Joe Wallace - Coachella Valley Economic Partnership / Coachella Valley iHub - Palm Springs 	
	Hilda Kennedy - AmPac Tri State CDC -  Grand Terrace	
	Paul Mata - Logos Lifetime University - Rancho Cucamonga	
		
The 12th Annual Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards program is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014 at the Riverside Convention Center. The gala includes a cocktail reception, dinner, entertainment and awards.  For more information or to make reservations, call (909) 537-3708.