Entrepreneurship was the theme of a recent award ceremony, which highlighted startup businesses throughout the Tri-Cities as well as one community leader.

The Richland Rotary Club’s Entrepreneurial Awards program was established in 1996 after Richland Rotarian and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory employee AM Sastry approached his club about recognizing the work of entrepreneurs in the bicounty region. 

The Port of Benton, Tri-City Development Council, Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce and Fuse SPC co-sponsored this year’s Nov. 19 event. Each nominated one of this year’s four Entrepreneurial Award winners, and a Sam Volpentest Entrepreneurial Leadership Award, or “Sammy” winner, also was announced.

The award’s namesake – known as Mr. Tri-Cities – dedicated 48 years of support to the economic development of the region and cofounded TRIDEC.

The awards recognize businesses within the bicounty area which have been in business at least one year and less than seven years and have fewer than 15 employees, although exceptions can be made. 

The Sammy winner must be a leader in the Tri-Cities community who has contributed to entrepreneurship through either being an entrepreneur or fostering entrepreneurial spirit through the creation of jobs, company mentorships, investments, programs or services.

The Sammy winner

This year’s Sammy award winner is Marty Conger, consulting and business support for Battelle and U.S. Department of Energy labs and managing partner of Fuse Advisors LLC, a subsidiary of Richland’s Fuse SPC.

Conger spent 42 years at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in various positions, including 12 years as chief financial officer. He was named 2011 CFO of the Year for Large Nonprofit Organizations by the Puget Sound Business Journal. 

Conger also managed the financial aspects of several of Battelle’s successful bids and transitions. He remains a long-standing member of the Battelle Pension Management and Investment Committee, with fiduciary responsibility for over $5 billion in retirement assets. In his retirement, Conger joined the board of Fuse, which offers coworking space and education programs for businesses, and the Fuse Fund grew out of it in 2019.

Led by Conger, the fund helps promising startups in the Tri-Cities secure funding.  

Conger also has spent time in the community on the boards of the regional chamber, United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties and Columbia Basin Dive Rescue. 

He initially attended Washington State University and graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a bachelor’s in business administration, specializing in accounting. He later passed the Certified Public Accountant exam.

Middleton Farms was a winner of the 2024 Entrepreneurial Awards. The business was nominated by the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce.

| Courtesy Port of Benton

Middleton Farms

Headed by owners Keith and Laura Middleton, Middleton Farms blends agriculture with entertainment. It hosts a Fall Festival, first launched in 2013 as part of a dream to create a family event where everyone could experience life on a farm.

The farm now hosts a number of other attractions throughout the year, including an Asparagus Fest, slides and a rope course. The Middletons announced during the award ceremony plans to add a tulip festival to the farm.

Middleton Farms was nominated by the regional chamber. “Their commitment to community engagement and agricultural education is outstanding,” according to the award nomination. “Their events, such as the Asparagus Festival, celebrate the region’s agricultural heritage, while creating lasting memories for families.”

The chamber also noted Middleton Farms’ commitment to sustainability, local partnerships and innovation. 

Innov8.ag was a winner of the 2024 Entrepreneurial Awards. The business was nominated by Fuse.

| Courtesy Port of Benton

Innov8.ag

Innov8.ag, an agricultural technology company headquartered in Walla Walla, was founded by Steve Mantle in 2019. The company is partnered with Microsoft, where Mantle worked for 12 years.  

Fuse nominated the company, which has a focus orchard north of Pasco, for its innovative contributions to ag tech. There, it developed techniques for above- and below-ground imaging to provide data growers could use to improve their harvest and optimize resources. Most of the company’s customers are located in southeastern Washington, many in Benton and Franklin counties. 

Innov8.ag has worked with a variety of different crops, from its work with blueberries and its partnership with the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission on apples to its collaboration with the Columbia Conservation District in wheat farming and McCain Foods in the potato industry. 

Craftsman Cabinets & Flooring was a winner of the 2024 Entrepreneurial Awards. The business was nominated by TRIDEC.

| Courtesy Port of Benton

Craftsman Cabinets & Flooring

TRIDEC nominated Craftsman Cabinets & Flooring for an entrepreneurial award. Though the company has been around since it was founded in 1972, it recently took on new ownership from David Chavey-Reynaud and Tori Chavey in May 2023. 

The company provides cabinetry, countertops and flooring for residential and commercial clients. It has an on-site manufacturing facility and custom makes each piece. 

Based in Richland, Craftsman Cabinets & Flooring serves clients across the Inland Northwest. 

The business’ new owners combine a respect for the company’s 50-year legacy with a fresh vision. They’ll maintain the company’s values of quality, integrity and exceptional service while pursuing innovation and growth, TRIDEC said in its nomination.

JR Imaging Logistics was a winner of the 2024 Entrepreneurial Awards. The business was nominated by the Port of Benton.

| Courtesy Port of Benton

JR Imaging Logistics

JR Imaging Logistics, nominated by the Port of Benton, provides hangar rental and aerial survey services in Richland. It became a port tenant in 2023 and serves businesses, personal aircraft, pilots, owners and passengers.

Ryan Risor founded the business in 2018, and it provides hangar service to pilots and aircraft at the Richland Airport. 

JR Imaging Logistics offers tug services, and the hangar is heated and features a number of amenities, including a pilot snooze room, passenger lounge, business center, refreshments and more.

It also provides aerial imaging services to the agricultural community. The service started in 2019 and has grown its pilot base across the United States. It currently operates in six states.