Ken and Pam Rosmann

When Ken and Pam Rosmann moved to Freeport in 2003, they began meeting with people who wanted to grow grapes for them. Seven years later, the Rosmanns attribute the distinctly Midwestern flavor of the Famous Fossil wines to these local grape varieties, which were developed specifically for the cold climate of the Great Lakes Region. READ MORE

Don Otto, DPO Construction

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it was the beginning of a career for DPO Construction owner, Don Otto. "I taught myself the mechanics of how to build a home," Don says. Shortly thereafter, he took time off to frame his own house. It was a lot of fun and I got a lot of satisfaction out of the details I put into it." Thirty-two years later, DPO Construction is the energy efficiency builder in the Iowa City area. READ MORE

Jeanie McKewan, Brightflower Nursery

Amid the smell of lavender and other herbs growing in her greenhouse, Jeanie McKewan jokes that she is “finally doing what I wanted to do when I grew up”. Jeanie and her husband, Michael Staver, are the owners of Brightflower Nursery, a four-acre nursery on the outskirts of the small town of Stockton in northeastern Illinois. For Jeanie, Brightflower not only makes business sense, but also fits into her deeply held value of protecting the environment. READ MORE

Joel Hirshberg, Green Building Supply

For Hirshberg, taking it one day at a time for the past 19 years has produced results. Green Building Supply has grown from a one-room operation to a store in the city center and a warehouse that ships materials to home builders and businesses nationwide. "I'm a very organic person," says Joel Hirshberg. "I just take it one day at a time on projects so they can grow naturally." READ MORE

George Herrman, Ean Cargoe

George Herrman, an avid ham radio operator in the Quad Cities, has taken a hobby and parlayed it into a new business venture. George’s company, Ean Cargoe, produces a portable, solar-rechargeable power source that enables backup radio communications and allows the recharging of cell phones, walkie-talkies and other communication devices. READ MORE

Ed Longanecker, Iris City Cleaners and Laundering Co.

A couple of years ago, Ed Longanecker, the owner of Iris City Cleaners and Laundering Co. since 1989, told Sally Conant, executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, that their Zero-Carbon Footprint Offset program was one of the most ridiculous ideas he had ever heard of. "But the more I looked into it, the more I began to think, ‘Wait a minute, this is bigger than I thought.’” Since then, Iris City Cleaners and Laundering Co., located in historic downtown Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, has become a leader in the nation for green cleaning services, and has the credentials to prove it. READ MORE

Ann Dougherty, Learn Great Foods

Ann Dougherty is passionate about two things, food and the environment, and she has combined these passions in an innovative company called Learn Great Foods. Taking a cue from the tour business, Ann began with the idea of offering tours of local sustainable farms. Then she added her own unique twist to the business: dynamic cooking classes and delicious gourmet meals. READ MORE