St. Cloud Chamber/Facebook
(KNSI) – The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce has announced this year’s business award winners.
Central McGowan owner Joe Francis is 2021 St. Cloud Area Small Business Owner of the Year.
Submitted by St. Cloud Chamber
Since becoming president/CEO in 2016, Francis has led the company through several expansions and acquisitions. He diversified the business from industrial gasses to include CO2 distribution to bars and restaurants, custom automation and robotics, and dry ice. And he has doubled the number of employees.
Francis always planned to take over the family business. He didn’t expect it to happen so soon.
St. Cloud Chamber Announce 2021 Small Business Award Recipients
Published: April 7, 2021
Joe Sexton and Gary Posch (top) Joe Francis (left) and Donella Westphal (Photo: St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce)
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This year s recipients are
Donella Westphal,
Joe Sexton and Gary Posch.
Since becoming President/CEO of Central McGowan in 2016, Francis has lead the company through a number of expansions and acquisitions. He has doubled the number of employees and diversified the business from industrial gasses to custom automation, robotics and dry ice. He is the Small Business Owner of the Year.
Sexton and Posch turned a small struggling Chrysler dealership in Pierz and transformed it into a large successful company. Today Brandl Motors has three locations, about 220 employees and sells about 2,500 units a year. It s because of this success the duo of Sexton and Posch has earned the Entrepreneurial Success Award.
Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation/Facebook
(KNSI) – The Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation is celebrating its 10th anniversary this week.
The GSDC was created as a private collaboration to lead economic development in Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns counties.
Some of the strategies implemented include engaging community leaders, expanding talent, growing businesses, and developing a brighter future for Greater St. Cloud.
Over the last decade, the tri-county area has seen a 13.7 percent increase in employment, adding almost 16,000 additional jobs. That’s higher than the 13.1 percent state increase over the same time.
The GSDC contributed to that growth by helping local businesses secure more than $43 million in resources.