Electronics recycling company wins Entrepreneur Challenge
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The $5,000 award and two $1,000 awards were presented Thursday at The Incubator @ Lincoln Center, 905 W. Ninth St., Port Angeles, by its director, Jim Haguewood.
Dan Tharp, owner of EcycleNW of Carlsborg, aims to become a leader in the electronics recycling industry in Western Washington.
"I'm absolutely speechless," Tharp said after the award was announced.
"Without my family I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing," Tharp said, motioning to his wife, Marbella Brown, and children, 10-year-old Marshall, nine-year-old Mark John and five-year-old Katilyn.
Katilyn cheered with a loud "Yeah!" following the award announcement.
"The judges thought it was a very exciting business plan with a lot of potential," Haguewood said, "including his ability to understand the market as it's changing through regulation, and people's desire not to dispose of electronics in the traditional fashion."
The company already has expanded into recycling electronic materials from Clallam County Public Utility District and other utilities, Haguewood said.
Runners-up
Two runners-up, both Port Angeles companies, received $1,000 each.
They are Multi Axis Games, or MxG, and the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association.
MxG, whose CEO is Tim Reddington and COO is Margaret Staples, has been in the Incubator@Lincoln Center for two months.
It produces entertainment software designed to create and operate subscriber-based online interactive Internet games and communities.
Reddington said he appreciated how the competition's process required him and other participants to revise and refine what already were good business plans.
"It's been a good process. I want to stay in the community and hope to create up to 70 jobs if we can get funded," he said.
Haguewood said the company is doing a good job of wooing investors.
"They have been developing five multi-player online games, and have done a tremendous job of refining their business plan for approaching investors to get these games built."
John Halberg of the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association presented an enhanced business plan for the nonprofit company.
He hopes to bring a world-class rowing program to the North Olympic Peninsula.
"I think we're going to leverage that and get some good grant money from outside sources to continue to develop the rowing program," Halberg said after receiving his $1,000 award.
Haguewood said, "John swayed them with the combination of his passion and his business plan."
Six competed in the contest.
Other competitors were:
Sponsors for the business challenge included First Federal Savings & Loan and the Jamestown S'Klallam tribe.
Last modified: April 04. 2008 9:00PM