A Forest Lake business, Bever Landscaping, is a finalist.

<NEWS RELEASE>

St. Paul, MN -- The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) today announced the finalists for the prestigious Better Business Bureau Integrity Awards. 

A Forest Lake business, Bever Landscaping, is a finalist.

The 10th Annual Integrity Awards ceremony, presented by Best Buy, will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, with Bill George as the keynote speaker.

The BBB presents the Integrity Award each year to companies who display ethics and integrity toward their employees, vendors, customers, and their community.  The Integrity Award is open to all for-profit businesses located within the Minnesota and North Dakota region.  Each year the BBB invites anyone to nominate a company they feel demonstrates exceptional ethics.  Nominees are offered the opportunity to submit an entry to the BBB where a panel of independent volunteer business and community leaders review the entries and decide on a winner(s).  Companies compete in four different categories by number of employees.

This year's finalists are:
Category I (1-10 employees):  EDS Builders, Lakeland, MN; Green Clean, Minneapolis, MN;  JL Olson and Associates, Inc, Andover, MN; and Skyline Consultants & Building Services, Minneapolis, MN.

Category II (11-50 employees):  Bever Landscaping, Forest Lake, MN; Schmit Towing, Minneapolis, MN; TMA E-Marketing, Minnetonka, MN; and Twin Cities Siding Professionals, Saint Paul, MN;

Category III (51-99 employees):  Certes Financial Pros, Golden Valley, MN; Garlock-French Corporation, Minneapolis, MN; Lehman's Garage, Bloomington, MN;  and Standard Heating & Air Conditioning, Minneapolis, MN.

Category IV (100+ employees):  Right At Home, Bloomington, MN; and The Rochester Athletic Club, Rochester, MN.

"This event spotlights companies that are using ethical business practices as their secret advantage to overcoming a bad economy,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB.  "These business organizations are a testament that conducting business in an honest way brings about stronger customer loyalty, and sustained long-term business success.”

Recipients of this year's Awards will be announced live at the event on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 6-9 p.m., at the Minnesota History Center, 345 Kellogg Boulevard West, Saint Paul. 

Bill George, professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, and author of three best-selling books, will be this year's keynote speaker. George was also the former chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic from 1991 – 2001, where he grew the company from $1.1 billion to $60 billion.  George will be speaking about ethics in a lagging market.  Each event attendee will receive a copy of George's latest book, Seven Lessons for Leading in Crisis, as well as food by Bon Appétit, one drink ticket and access to galleries.

Tickets for this event can be purchased online at www.thefirstbbb.org  or contact Mackenzie at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 651-695-2482. Pre-registration is required.

Ticket costs are:
·         Member pricing:
·         Individual tickets are $65
·         10 tickets are $585
·         Non-member pricing
·         Individual tickets are $85
·         10 tickets are $675

This is the third year that the BBB will present its Student of Integrity Scholarship Awards to high school seniors who demonstrate (through essay) their understanding of the impact ethical decisions have on their lives. TruStone Financial sponsors the awards and one $10,000 and one $5,000 scholarship will help students of integrity go on to the colleges of their choice.

"We are proud to honor trustworthy organizations and students who are leading lives of integrity,” said Sarah Hilliker, Director of Accredited Business Services.  "What a great way to mix ethical businesses and future ethical business leaders.”

Sponsors for the event are:  Best Buy; TruStone Financial; ABRA Auto Body Glass;
The CW Twin Cities; KTLK; KFAN; KQQL 108; Financial Concepts; Cedar Valley Exteriors; CenterPoint Energy; Rippe Print Communications and Think Mutual Bank.

The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota is a private, non-profit organization providing services to consumers and businesses.  The focus of the BBB's activity is to promote an ethical marketplace by encouraging honest advertising and selling practices, and offering dispute resolution. 

For more information on the Better Business Bureau, or to nominate a company for an Integrity Award, visit the Bureau's Web site at http://www.thefirstbbb.org or call 651-699-1111, toll-free 800-646-6222.