Douglas County recognizes Business of the Year; Zephyr Cove company wins Wagon Wheel Award

Two Douglas County businesses took home top awards on November 6 during Northern Nevada Development Authority’s (NNDA) Pioneer Awards. The Pioneer Awards recognized businesses in 5 county regions and each county chose a business of the year. Douglas County’s Business of the Year Award went to Bently Enterprises.

Bently was selected based on alignment with the County’s five guiding economic vitality principles:
· Improves business climate and enhances education and workforce

· Is unique and marketable
· Helps maintain the exceptional quality of life
· Preserves the natural environment and infrastructure
· Enhances education and workforce

“Much of the County’s recent economic progress is made possible through public-private partnerships,” said Doug Johnson, Chairman of the Douglas County Commission. “As the County and towns work to implement the Valley Vision, it ultimately takes private investment to make it happen.”

Bently Enterprises has made substantial investments in historic downtown Minden renovating the Farmer’s Bank Building to be its new company headquarters. Bently Ranch’s sustainable operation expanded to sell grass fed meat to markets online and planted new grain crops for the much anticipated Bently Heritage Estate Distillery. The Distillery, slated to open in 2017, will preserve and restore the turn-of-the century Minden Flour Mill & Creamery buildings bringing additional economical vibrancy to the community.

The other award received by a Douglas County business was the Wagon Wheel Award which was given to Zephyr Photonics, a US-based photonics company located in Zephyr Cove, NV. It focused on providing solutions to the Department of Defense, aerospace, and intelligence markets. For more than 25 years, Zephyr Photonics has developed innovative and advanced photonic solutions for government agencies, communication companies, and defense prime contractors.