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Presenting Sponsor Whitley Penn representing. They are, from left, Kierren Tenney, Kelsey James, Josh Agren, Danielle Reynolds, Amy Allen, Andy Hines, Farriya jawed, and Sohail Mohammed.
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Platinum Sponsor Texas Capital Bank's Murat Kamacioglu, Jennifer Baggs, Jeremy Brannon, Sarah Khan, Aaron Williams, and Amanda Arizpe.
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EOE winners include, from left, Ralph Manning, Trevor Armstrong, Sara Camp, Larry Auth, Jessica Miller Essl, Susan Miller, Katy Abraham, Andy Hines of Presenting Sponsor Whitley Penn, Ginger Curtis, Stephen Gilchrist, and 'Fort Worth Inc.' Publisher Hal Brown.
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Those guys look like TCU fraternity brothers: Andy Mitchell, left, Jeff Bundy, and Josh Governale.
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The cocktail hour.
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Cyndy Tonniges and Gary Tonniges Jr.
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We know that guy: Stephen Montoya provides the entertainment.
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Ginger Curtis, c'mon down, Four Day Weekend personality Oliver Tull has a prize for you.
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Oliver Tull presents Ralph Manning his EOE Award.
Honored recipients of Fort Worth Inc.’s Entrepreneur of Excellence program — and their Plus 1s — were feted on Thursday night during a black-tie gala at the historic Fort Worth Club, entertained by our city’s favorite ne’er-do-wells.
You probably heard that Four Day Weekend was “evicted” from its longtime home in Sundance Square. Ahem, you’re not in select company, fellas.
Nonetheless, they reminded everyone of that during the troupe’s always-entertaining annual show to commemorate the winners and finalists.
No one was safe around them, of course, as they playfully gave the winners, innocent bystanders, and even themselves the business in only the way they know how.
They had us in stitches.
The evening began with cocktail hour at 6, followed by the most righteous dinner at 7 p.m. We began with a salad of artisan greens, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrot, red onion, with herb balsamic vinaigrette.
The entrée was grilled filet mignon, Rogue River blue cheese crust, mashed Yukon gold potatoes (yes, it’s “es” on the plural of potato), horseradish creamed spinach, grilled vegetables, and red wine demi, that rich and flavorful sauce often used in French cuisine. Bravo on that flavor profile. Hats off to the Fort Worth Club, still great after all these generations.
That rapscallion Henry VIII didn’t eat as well as we did.
And if you were a glutton — we weren’t there for our health, after all — you no doubt enjoyed the chocolate mousse cake with caramel center.
The incomparable Netty Matthews kicked off our awards. She was presented the Fort Worth Inc. Supporter of Entrepreneurship Award, presented to an individual who has actively contributed to the growth and success of new businesses in Greater Fort Worth.
Matthews is the senior vice president for business advocacy at the Fort Worth Chamber.
The first award presented was in the category of Up-and-Comers.
Among the finalists was Chelsie Synatschk, broker of Fort Worth Focused Real Estate and co-member of Table 8.
It rhymes with “spinach,” we found out, this Synatschk, fault of husband spinach Synatschk. Say that three times with a bite of filet mignon with a Rogue River blue cheese crust going. (We now understand, by the way, why that Rogue River blue cheese is award winning.)
We couldn’t have done any of this without our sponsors, all of them Fort Worth institutions.
Whitley Penn served as Presenting Sponsor. Texas Capital partnered as Platinum Sponsor. TCU’s Neeley School of Business - Executive MBA was the Gold Sponsor; and the venerable Justin Boots was the Boot Sponsor. Each of the winners will receive a custom-made pair of Justin Boots.
Speaking of boots. Don’t forget our friends at Four Day Weekend.
They got the boot at Sundance Square, but they’re still going.
Find them now at Stage West Theatre.
But, if you know of any real estate … .
Without Further Ado, the Winners
Commercial Construction: John Avila, Byrne Construction
Consumer & Durable Goods: Stephen Gilchrist, Gilchrist Automotive
Health Care & Life Sciences: Sara and Steve Camp, Steven Camp MD Plastic Surgery
Hospitality: Trevor Armstrong and Larry Auth, Game On Sports Complext
Professional Services: Ralph Manning and Edward Crawford, Coltala Holdings
Real Estate: Jessica Miller Essl and Susan Miller, M2G Ventures
Residential Construction: Ginger Curtis, Urbanology Designs
Up-and-Coming: Katy Abraham, Construction Cost Management