Baylor University's Institute for Family Business, through its annual Texas Family Business of the Year awards program, recognizes outstanding firms whose families demonstrate a deep commitment to each other and to business continuity, and who are exceptionally responsive to the needs of their employees, communities and industries.

"Starting, owning and operating a family business is the foundation of the American Dream," stresses J. David Allen, director of the Institute for Family Business and John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship at Baylor's Hankamer School of Business. "It is our privilege to honor the dedicated, hard-working risk-takers in the state of Texas who contribute so much to our economic and social well-being."

Nineteen Texas family businesses will be honored at this year's 22nd annual awards banquet to be held November 9 at the Bill Daniel Student Center on Baylor's campus.

The 2011 Texas Family Business of the Year award winners are:

Small Family Business of the Year:
Jacoby and Jacoby, Inc. - Melvin

Medium Family Business of the Year:
Professional Flooring Supply - Haltom City

Large Family Business of the Year:
Bruner Automotive Family - Stephenville

Family Values Award:
R.W. Owens & Son Funeral Home, Inc. - Wolfe City

Well-Managed Award:
Freeman - Dallas

Community Commitment Award:
Cooper Aerobics Center - Dallas

Fastest Growing Award:
Dikita Enterprises, Inc. - Dallas

Founders Award:
Renfro Foods, Inc. - Fort Worth

Heritage Award:
Bird-Kultgen, Inc. - Waco

Finalists are: Aderhold Funeral Home, Inc., West; All-Star Martial Arts, Cypress; Gold Metal Recyclers, Ltd., Dallas; Insurance Network of Texas, Giddings; Leigh Oliver's, Tyler; Mazanec Construction Co., Inc., Waco; Ranch at The Rim, San Antonio; Riverside Tire Center, Sealy; Snyder's Recycled Auto and Truck Parts, Holland; and Twin City Driver Education School, Richmond.

Congratulations to all the award winners and finalists.

For more information about the Texas Family Business of the Year awards program and the Institute for Family Business, see the Texas Family Business of the Year website.
Email questions to Dawn Maitz, associate director of the Institute for Family Business and John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship, at Dawn_Maitz@baylor.edu.

Baylor's Business Excellence Scholarship Team (BEST) program is a two-semester accelerated strategic entrepreneurship course that requires a diverse group of accomplished and academically excellent students to address real-world business issues. Students engage in critical projects for companies and gain genuine comprehensive experience while businesses get fresh creative consultants.

Last fall, the BEST team of Connor Schaars, Ryan Shook, John Steen, Emily Underwood, and Amy Wofford were asked to develop a nontraditional albeit professional business plan for the 3 Preneurs Entertainment LLC feature film adaptation of Elmer Kelton's classic Texas novel, The Time It Never Rained (TTNR). The three entrepreneurs who make up 3 Preneurs Entertainment (Alicia Gibson, Jourdan Gibson, and Lorie Woodward Cantu) introduced a project which included such elements as market research to identify the target audience, exploration and analysis of current events to derive the current mood and political sentiment of the country, and generation of ideas for distribution and promotion of the film on a tight budget.

3 Preneurs challenged the students to write the plan as if they were submitting it to a banker or venture capitalist for funding. The investors would be encouraged to expect a return on investment but also would be asked to invest in the diffusion of a powerful message.

Although written in 1972, The Time It Never Rained powerfully mirrors many important issues of today. The underlying theme asks Americans, is a sense of security worth trading individual freedom and responsibility for? The novel not only tackles the role of government in private life, but also immigration, race relations, and environmentalism. According to BEST student Amy Wofford, "Through our research, we found that only 26% of voters think the U.S. is heading in the right direction. We believed that the film adaptation of the book will capitalize on the opportunity to provide a message of hope, optimism and perseverance in a time of economic tribulation. The projected release date of this film is the fall of 2012, before the presidential elections."

Partnering on the movie project's development was immensely valuable to both the 3 Preneurs team and the student consultants. Producer Lorie Woodward Cantu, who co-wrote the script with J. Brian Elliott, a senior lecturer with Baylor's Film and Digital Media Department, commended the students' "enthusiasm, professionalism and their intimate knowledge of social media and its potential for direct marketing." As for the students, the project was a profound learning experience as well as uniquely interesting. In addition to exposure to the film and entertainment industry, the BEST team gained a deeper understanding of group dynamics, teamwork, time management, and the dedication it takes to transition an idea into a successful venture. The experience was all the more meaningful because of the positive and timely messages conveyed.

To learn more about Baylor's BEST program, see www.baylor.edu/best. Email questions to Marlene Reed, Entrepreneur in Residence, at Marlene_Reed@baylor.edu.

For more information about 3 Preneurs Entertainment and The Time It Never Rained, please contact Alicia Gibson at aliciagib@yahoo.com or Lorie Woodward Cantu at lwcantu@suddenlink.net.

Baylor Entrepreneurship has long been a pioneer in the world of entrepreneurship education. Our success is largely due to the resources provided through our many alumni and educational partnerships. We are so grateful for these relationships and invite you to contact us if you are interested in joining us on our collaborative journeys.

Contact us at Entrepreneurship@baylor.edu.