Article Originally Published on Charlotte Business Journal, click here to read the original by Jen Wilson

The ever-growing Charlotte region is home to an increasing number of businesses, large and small, that span a variety of industries. Each is led by a chief executive who navigates challenges — both specific to their company’s particular sector and more general issues that apply across the board — and shares successes with their teams.

The Charlotte Business Journal‘s Most Admired CEO Awards program, now in its third year, turns a spotlight on these local leaders.

This signature awards program honors Charlotte-area chief executives or those with an equivalent title, such as managing principal or executive director, who demonstrate admirable leadership qualities. Nominations were open to the public and came from members of the business community, within the honorees’ organizations and externally.

The CBJ editorial team has selected 35 honorees across 18 categories.

Each has shown a strong record of innovation in their field, outstanding financial performance, a commitment to quality, a strong vision, a commitment to diversity in the workplace and contributions to the metro community. In an upcoming special report, CBJ will profile all of the honorees; see coverage of past years’ programs here.

In addition, a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be named in the weeks to come.

An event will be held March 25 at The Westin Charlotte to celebrate this year’s class of winners. Find more details and register here. 

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Congratulations to the 2020 class!

These are honorees, listed in alphabetical order by category:

Banks & Credit Unions

• Steve Fisher, F&M Bank
• Lee Fite, Fifth Third Bank

Commercial Real Estate

• Brett Gray, Cushman & Wakefield
• Johnny Harris, Lincoln Harris

Construction

• Brian McManus, Hoopaugh Grading Co.
• Marcus Rabun, Myers & Chapman

Energy

• Jayson Waller, PowerHome Solar

Family-Owned Business

• Liz Etheredge, Mecklenburg Paint Co. Inc.
• Marcus Smith, Speedway Motorsports
• Ed Weisiger Jr., CTE (formerly Carolina Tractor & Equipment Co.)

Financial Services

• Tom Finke, Barings
• Matt Potere, Sunlight Financial

Food Service

• Dan Beem, Hissho Sushi
• Landon Eckles, Clean Juice
• Conrad Hunter, Foxcroft Wine Co.

Government

• Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County

Health Care

• Lindsay Muns, Charlotte Radiology
• Stuart Ross, ACO Med Supply

Law

• Janeen Hogue, The Miller-Hogue Law Firm
• Christopher Lam, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings

Manufacturing 

• John Marrino, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Nonprofits

• Karen Calder, Classroom Central
• Williams Jones, Thompson Child & Family Focus

Professional Services

• Tana Greene, MyWorkChoice (a Greene Group company)
• Amy Noland Pack, AccruePartners

Public Companies

• Darius Adamczyk, Honeywell International Inc.
• Charles Harrington, Parsons Corp.

Residential Real Estate

• Pat Riley, Allen Tate Cos.
• Marcie Williams, RKW Residential

Retail

• Tom Coker, Reid’s Fine Foods
• Charlie Malouf, Broad River Retail

Sports, Entertainment & Tourism

• Dan Rajkowski, Charlotte Knights
• Fred Whitfield, Hornets Sports & Entertainment

Technology

• Mark Mahoney, Jackrabbit Technologies
• Bob Youakim, Passport

CHARLOTTE, NC – For the 1st time, Hissho Sushi has been named a winner in the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2016 FAST 50.  Congratulations to Philip Maung and the Hissho team.
The Charlotte Business Journal has just recognized the 2016 fastest-growing private companies in our region. This awards program recognizes 50 local companies with outstanding growth, entrepreneurial excellence and leadership.

During the awards dinner posted for Thursday, December 8, 2016 from 5:30pm –8:30pm at the Hilton Charlotte Center City, 222 East Third Street Charlotte NC, 28202, CBJ will reveal the 2016 honoree company rankings based on their percentage of annual growth over a three-year period. The top-ranked companies will also be profiled in a CBJ special report on December 9.

 
Hissho Sushi, headquartered in Charlotte NC, is a thriving sushi and Pan-Asian hot bar franchise which now has over 900 locations in 40 states.  Philip Maung, the CEO, came to the United States from Myanmar in 1989 with only $13 in his pocket, and started his sushi business in 1998.
For more information, http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/event/140262/2016/2016-fast-50-awards, www.hisshosushi.com, or contact Andrea Lee at 704-926-3989 or andrealee@40.87.96.138

 
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Hissho Sushi has once again been recognized as part of the 2016 Grant Thornton North Carolina 100® (NC100), which ranks the state’s largest private companies by revenue.  The complete list was released in the October issue of Business North Carolina and can be viewed at GrantThornton.com/NC100.
 
“We are honored to be included on this year’s Grant Thornton North Carolina 100® list,” said Philip Maung, CEO. “This award reaffirms our prominence in the marketplace and our commitment to the community.  We are proud to be recognized as one of the largest privately-held businesses in North Carolina.”
 
Hissho Sushi, headquartered in Charlotte NC, is a thriving sushi and Pan-Asian hot bar franchise which now has over 900 locations in 40 states.  Philip Maung, the CEO, came to the United States from Myanmar in 1989 with only $13 in his pocket, and started his sushi business in 1998.
Since 1984, the NC100 has ranked the state’s largest private companies by revenue in the mot recent fiscal year, based on data provided by the participants.
To view the complete 2016 list, visit GrantThorton.com/NC100
For more information on Hissho, visit  www.hisshosushi.com, or contact Andrea Lee at 704-926-3989 / and/ andrealee@40.87.96.138
About Grant Thornton North Carolina 100®
Since 1984, the Grant Thornton North Carolina 100® has ranked the state’s largest private companies by revenue in the most recent fiscal year, based on data provided by the participants. The NC100 is a voluntary list restricted to companies based in North Carolina that do not have publicly traded stock. Companies owned by private equity are permitted. Nonprofits, financial-services companies, health care providers such as hospitals and subsidiaries of corporations are excluded. For more details, visit GrantThornton.com/NC100.
 
About Grant Thornton LLP
Founded in Chicago in 1924, Grant Thornton LLP (Grant Thornton) is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the world’s leading organizations of independent audit, tax and advisory firms. In the United States, Grant Thornton has revenues of $1.65 billion and operates 60 offices with 575 partners and more than 8,000 employees. Grant Thornton works with a broad range of dynamic publicly and privately held companies, government agencies, financial institutions, and civic and religious organizations.
 
“Grant Thornton” refers to Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd (GTIL). GTIL and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered by the member firms. GTIL and its member firms are not agents of, and do not obligate, one another and are not liable for one another’s acts or omissions. Please see grantthornton.com for further details.

PRIDE Magazine “Charlotte Multicultural Resource Magazine 2016 – 2017” has featured Hissho Sushi’s CEO Philip Maung on the Cover!
 
Publisher Dee Dixon, Editor-in-Chief Lashawnda Becoats, Writer Tonya Jameson, and Photographer Johathan Cooper have put together a wonderful story of how “Sushi made Philip Maung money, but his Values made him successful!”
 
May Vang, a former AND current employee says of Hissho that, “It was a very corporate style. I didn’t get the sense that there was a lot of teamwork and communication.” Why did she come back to Hissho? Read the article and find out. http://www.pridemagazineonline.com/sushi-made-philip-maung-money-values-made-him-successful/
 
Starting with the “From the Editor,” Becoats is generous with her comments on page 10; followed by the feature article starting on page 14 by Jameson.
 
For more information, please see www.hisshosushi.com, or contact Andrea Lee @ 704-926-3989 / andrealee@40.87.96.138