2012 Executive Choice Awards

Each year, we ask members of our Executive Register to tell us their “preferred” local businesses in almost three dozen categories, and these companies are recognized with a coveted IB Executive Choice Award.

Because the ECAs use a fill-in-the-blank style survey, only top-of-mind vendors are typically mentioned. Nevertheless, the first-, second-, and third-place ECA winners presented here represent the best the Greater Madison business community has to offer. 

This year, the honorees include 29 repeat first-place winners, showing the power of incumbency in tough economic times. While last year’s first-place winners fared well overall, there were not as many multiple-category winners, as some strong contenders vaulted to the top of their respective categories, including Hiebing (Preferred Local Advertising Agency), Monona Terrace (Preferred Local Venue for Business Meetings and Events), and Eno Vino (Preferred Place for Business Cocktails).

If you would like to vote in next year’s ECAs, visit ibmadison.com’s online Professional Directory to apply for membership in the 2013 Executive Register.

Local Advertising Agency
1. Hiebing
2. KW2 (Knupp & Watson & Wallman)
3. Lindsay, Stone & Briggs

Local Accounting Firm
1. Smith and Gesteland
2. Wegner CPAs
3T. SVA Certified Public Accountants, SC
3T. Meicher & Associates, LLP

Local Bank (For Business)
1. First Business Bank
2. Capitol Bank
3. BMO Harris Bank

Local Credit Union
1. Summit Credit Union
2. UW Credit Union
3. Dane County Credit Union

Local Health Insurance Company
1. Group Health Cooperative
2. Dean Health Plan
3T. Physicians Plus
3T. Unity Health Insurance

Local Commercial Builder
1. J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc.
2. Design Structures, LLC
3. Ideal Builders, Inc.

Local Commercial Interior Design Firm
1. InteriorLOGIC Facility Planning
2. Brownhouse Designs
3. Potter Lawson

Local Cleaning/Building Maintenance Company
1. Kleenmark
2. Environment Control of Wisconsin
3. Clean Power, LLC

Local Commercial Landscaper
1. The Bruce Company of Wisconsin, Inc.
2. Olson Toon Landscaping, Inc.
3. Maple Leaf Landscaping

Local Office Furniture Company
1. Lerdahl Business Interiors
2. Target Commercial Interiors
3. Creative Business Interiors

Local Office Supply Company
1. EZ Office Products
2. Staples
3. Office Depot

Local Website Services Company
1. Powderkeg Interactive/Econoprint
2. Adesys
3. Yahara Software, LLC

Local IT Consultant
1. Adesys
2. Applied Tech
3T. Envision IT
3T. SupraNet Communications, Inc.

Management Training Company
1. Dale Carnegie Training
2. UW Small Business Development Center
3. ActionCOACH

Higher Educational Training Institution
1. UW-Madison
2. Madison College
3. Edgewood College

IT Training Company/Facility
1. Core BTS
2. Madison College
3. Herzing University

Local Real Estate Company
1. First Weber Group
2. Stark Company Realtors
3. Restaino & Associates

Local Cell Phone Provider
1. US Cellular
2. Verizon
3. AT&T

Local Phone Company
1. TDS
2. Charter Communications
3. AT&T

Local Hotel for Out-of-Town Guests
1. Hilton Monona Terrace
2. The Madison Concourse
3. Marriott Madison West

Local Venue for Business Meetings/Events
1. Monona Terrace
2. Madison Club
3. Alliant Energy Center

Local Printing Company
1. Econoprint
2T. Park Printing Solutions
2T. Suttle-Straus, Inc.
3. Sprint Print, Inc.

Local Security Company
1. JBM Patrol & Protection Corp.
2. MPI (Midwest Patrol & Investigative, LLC)
3. J&K Security Solutions

Local Staffing Firm
1. QTI Group
2. Drake & Company
3. Remedy Intelligent Staffing

Restaurant for Breakfast
1. Marigold Kitchen
2. Panera Bread
3. Perkins

Restaurant for Lunch
1. Madison Club
2. Bonfyre American Grille
3. Biaggi’s

Restaurant for Dinner
1. Madison Club
2. Johnny Delmonico’s
3. Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Place for Business Cocktails
1. Eno Vino Wine Bar & Bistro
2. Madison Club
3. Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Golf Course for Business Outings
1. University Ridge
2. Nakoma Golf Club
3T. Bishops Bay Country Club
3T. Maple Bluff Country Club

Health/Fitness Center
1. Princeton Club
2. Harbor Athletic Club
3. Anytime Fitness

Local Commercial Architectural Firm
1. Potter Lawson
2. Flad & Associates
3. Strang Inc

Local Law Firm
1. Murphy Desmond, SC
2. Axley Brynelson, LLP
3. Foley and Lardner

Local Insurance Company
1. American Family Insurance
2. QBE Insurance Group
3. Northwestern Mutual

Independent Insurance Agency
1. Hausmann|Johnson Insurance
2T. Neckerman Insurance Services
2T. M3 Insurance
3. The Murphy Insurance Group

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