Toano, Virginia. June 2002 - Byron Whitehurst, President of James City County company Design Master Associates, Inc., has won the prestigious Ernst & Young 2002 Virginia Entrepreneur of the Year® Award. The program recognizes entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
The winners were announced at a black-tie gala awards ceremony held at the Richmond Marriott on Thursday, June 20, 2002. The event, attended by over 400 people, was the culmination of an intensive search to identify and recognize Virginia's outstanding entrepreneurs.
Virginia's winners are now eligible to participate in Ernst & Young's National Entrepreneur of the Year awards competition. The program will culminate at a black-tie awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 23, 2002, at which time national finalists and the Entrepreneur of the Year award winners will be announced and celebrated by more than 2,000 attendees.
Previous Entrepreneur of the Year award winners have included a virtual "Who's Who" of business leaders, such as Michael Dell of Dell Computer Corporation, Jim McCann of 1-800 Flowers, Steve Case of America Online, Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee and Scott Kriens of Juniper Networks. The most recent winner (2001) was Dr. Phillip Frost of IVAX Corporation, a pharmaceutical company based in Miami, Florida.
Whitehurst is quick to mention that the success of Design Master is the result of a team effort on the part of dozens of outstanding associates. He considers his two design partners, Tony Schoedel and Glen Duff to be the best in the business and attributes much of the company's reputation for excellence in design to their talents. "Just being part of such a talented team of individuals is the most exciting part of the business," says Whitehurst.
In addition, Whitehurst has nothing but praise for the James City County Economic Development Office. "From the preliminary discussions about constructing our first small building to the most recent construction of our new 40,000-square foot facility in Stonehouse Commerce Park, the County's economic development team has been a tremendous supporter of Design Masters' growth and expansion. This award is really a testament to that support."
Keith Taylor, County Economic Development Director, applauded Whitehurst's selection and the company's reputation for creativity and excellent design. He noted that "They produce a distinctive, high-quality line of products that goes well beyond routine giftware. It has been a real pleasure to be a small part of the company's growth. Design Master is an excellent example of how important existing local companies are in building a strong and diverse economic base."
Design Master Associates, Inc is located in Toano, Virginia and specializes in designing and producing unique, customized products and merchandising programs for many of the country's most famous museums and national landmarks. Clients include the United States Capitol, The Smithsonian, The White House, Colonial Williamsburg, Mount Vernon and the National Cathedral. They have also produced gift items for world leaders and dignitaries such as Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton. Nationally recognized and a winner of many awards, Design Master Associates, Inc. continues to grow and experience a level of success that comes to those who make quality and customer satisfaction a number one priority.