鈥淭here鈥檚 no secret sauce鈥� to owning a successful business, says Hans Harman 鈥�02. 鈥淛ust surrounding yourself with the right people, working hard and getting your hands dirty.鈥�
Harman, president of Momentum Earthworks, was honored as Entrepreneur of the Year at the Jan. 4 Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet.
“Receiving recognition like this is exciting and humbling because there are so many great businesses and great business people in the Harrisonburg/Rockingham communities,鈥� Harman said. 鈥淗aving peers and the community acknowledge the hard work of building a company is reassuring that we have a great team which continues to tackle new challenges and perform at a high level.鈥�
The award has two criteria: entrepreneurial success and community involvement, or 鈥済iving back,鈥� said Frank Tamberrino, chamber president. “Hans has now established a track record of sensing a business opportunity, taking a risk and making it pay off. The benefits include a larger payroll, which means more local jobs created.鈥�
Tamberrino added that Harman 鈥渕akes his presence known in the community by being active in the Association of General Contractors, the chamber of commerce and downtown revitalization efforts.鈥�
Momentum Earthworks, based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, does $8 million a year in annual business and employs 50 people. Harman initially purchased Quality Excavating in 2011, when it had seven employees and drew just $1.3 million.
A Harrisonburg native, Harman earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration at 黑料正能量. He is the son of Carl Harman 鈥�67 and Sharon Bowers 鈥�71.
Before opening Momentum Earthworks in 2011, he worked in real estate development as a principal with Velocity Property Group and managed projects for Harman Construction, his father鈥檚 company.
Other honorees included Jack Broaddus, president and CEO of Sunnyside Communities, Business Person of the Year; Jill McGlaughlin, Community Champion; and Willard and Sonia Knicely of West-Rock Dairy, Farm Family Stewardship Award winners.