Charles City businesspeople win awards at Pappajohn ceremony

To The Press

Charles City businessmen and women received top awards at the 2019 Pappajohn Entrepreneur Gala held recently in Mason City.

Scott Soifer received the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and EZ Manufacturing, founded by Bruce and Connie Goddard, received the Innovation Award.

Soifer is the owner and president of McSoifer’s Inc., which operates 12 McDonald’s restaurants in northeast and north central Iowa, employing 600 crew members.

Soifer began his entrepreneurial journey at a young age, cleaning tables and mowing the lawn at McDonald’s. He credits the experience for teaching him the importance of hard work, giving back to the community, and creating a community within the workplace.

EZ Manufacturing was founded in 2016 when Bruce Goddard invented the Bale Storm Processor. The Bale Storm Processor is the only rear-attached straw bale processor on the market, and is capable of changing the way livestock owners care for their cattle.

In Summer 2019, EZ Manufacturing signed a licensing agreement with Kelly Ryan Equipment to manufacture and distribute the Bale Storm Processor nationwide.

Another Innovation Award finalist had also been Avance USA & Hartwood Hospitality Innovations Corp., with Jennifer Andrade of Clear Lake and Gilbert Starples of Charles City.

Entrepreneurs and businesses across North Iowa were invited to apply for four awards categories. Twelve finalists were named, and the winners were announced at the gala Oct. 29 at NIACC in Mason City. In attendance at the gala was guest Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Other top awards went to Derek Balsley of The Art of Education University, Osage, who received Entrepreneur of the Year; and Kingland of Clear Lake, which received Business of the Year.

The judging committee awarded a special recognition to student entrepreneur Samantha Schupanitz of Mason City for her business, Sami’s Sock Monkeys, which she founded in her senior year at Mason City High School while attending the Youth Entrepreneurial Academy.

The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center partners with North Iowa’s Small Business Development Center to provide tools, support, and resources to Iowa’s entrepreneurs, including counseling new and existing local businesses, from Main Street to industry leaders.

They work to grow Iowa’s entrepreneurial culture through grade school initiatives, college and community programs, and business training and development.

For more information, contact the NIACC Pappajohn Center at 641-422-4111 or pappajohn@niacc.edu.