BK Products named 2008 CityBusiness Innovator of the Year

New Orleans CityBusiness, Sep 27, 2008 by Reports

BK Products received CityBusiness' 2008 Innovator of the Year Gold Award today during a lunch program at the Sheraton New Orleans hotel.

The eighth annual CityBusiness Innovator of the Year program recognizes companies and individuals who have introduced an innovative product, service or concept that's changing the marketplace and setting the pace for our region's future.

Mandeville-based BK Products is owned by Bob Kuswa, who developed his product as a hobby 12 years ago. He delved into the word of zeolite minerals, which have the ability to absorb and release water, odor and gas without changing the minerals' makeup. When zeolites are used in air filters, the Awesome Air filters reduce the time a compressor runs and save energy. Customers such as Holiday Inn, Southern University New Orleans and the cities of Covington and Mandeville have already seen the savings in their utility bills.

Old New Orleans Rum received the Silver Award. On the market for 13 years, it has been distinguished as one of the finest in its class, winning international honors this year. It is distributed in 11 states and has gone from selling a couple hundred cases per year to more than 9,000. Since December, the company has sold 600 cases in Kentucky.

The Receivables Exchange received the Bronze Award. Justin Brownhill and Nick Perkin are blazing a trail with the first online receivables marketplace, comparable to an eBay for small businesses looking for working capital. Interested investors have pledged more than $1 billion to a company that's putting New Orleans back on the business map.

A special insert highlighting all honorees will be available in Monday's issue of CityBusiness and at www.neworleanscitybusiness.com under the "In and Around CityBusiness" section in the lower-right corner.

Others honorees included:

Innovators

- A-Y2K Marine Survey

- Alternative Energy Group

- The Art Station

- Bull Sweeper -- SDT Waste and Debris Services

- CommTech Industries

- The Domain Cos.

- Express Lien

- Fit as a Firefighter -- Slidell Memorial Hospital and St. Tammany Fire District No. 1

- GreenStar Coatings and Recycling

- Imagination Movers

- Landscapedia.info

- The Lifestyle Revolution Group

- M.S. Rau Antiques

- New Orleans Firefighters Pension Fund -- Lakewood Golf Club

- On My Way -- iSeatz

- On the Move -- Elmwood Fitness Center

- PhytoCeutical Formulations

- Schonberg and Associates

- Sucre

- Sanichiro Yoshida -- Southeastern Louisiana University Department of Chemistry and Physics

- Tulane University Center for Public Service

- Zapp's Potato Chips

Medical

- The Aquadex System FlexFlow

- Cryoplasty -- Touro Infirmary

- Deep Brain Stimulation -- Ochsner Health System

- Neevo -- Pamlab

- Orthopaedic Associates of New Orleans

- Patient Comment System -- Touro Infirmary

- TDI Integrity Team -- East Jefferson General Hospital

- ThermoSuit System

- Ochsner Health System

Nonprofit

- Arc of Greater New Orleans

- The Campaign to Build a Teen-Friendly New Orleans

- Latino Apostolate of the Episcopal Church

- Louisiana ArtWorks

- New Orleans Music Hall of Fame

- Puentes New Orleans/LatiNola

- Tipitina's Music Office Co-op

- Urban League of Greater New Orleans Young Professionals

On the Brink

- CJ Creations

- ex-cessories.com

- Green Door Construction

- HIV research -- Tulane University

- Human Angiogenesis Assay

- Peptide Research Lab -- Tulane University

- Precast Building Solutions

- SouthCoast Solar

- Virtual Staging -- The Occasional Wife.