Remediators awarded $4,000 as Best New Business in the Olympic Peninsula's "Entrepreneur Challenge"

PENINSULA DAILY NEWS May 03, 2007

The Remediators Inc. won $4,000 in the Entrepreneur Challenge business plan competition, which was open to new businesses and business concepts across the North Olympic Peninsula.

Prizes of $500 each were also awarded to runners up Lily Ann's Castle in Port Angeles and Abode in Port Hadlock during the announcement of winners at the Lincoln Center, 905 W. Ninth St. in Port Angeles.

Ten start-up companies competed for the chance to be named Best New Business and get a cash award through the Entrepreneur Institute in the contest sponsored by First Federal, The Incubator at Lincoln Center and the city of Port Angeles.

"This will help us to establish the credentials we need to move forward and to go to the next step from a small corporation to a real player in the market," said Sam Nugent, one of the three owners of The Remediators Inc.

The money, which will be invested in expanding the business, was presented to the three by Jim Haguewood, director of The Incubator at Lincoln Center, and Kristene Moorman, who was in charge of the challenge.

Eligible businesses were assigned mentors who walked through the development of a suitable business plan with each competitor.

The entries were narrowed to five finalists on April 27, 2007, and the final round of judging took place Wednesday May 2.

First Federal Savings and Loan donated the competition's prize money

The Remediators Inc. - a three-person start-up company based at The Incubator, 905 W. Ninth St. in Port Angeles - offers biological cleanup of contaminated land.

The business is run by Nugent, Howard Sprouse and Thom O'Dell.

The Remediators use a process called fungal augmentation, which uses fungus to consume petrochemicals and clean them from land.

In addition to the news about the winnings from the challenge, the business also recently received notice from the Navy that they will be approved to be a sole-source provider for remediation.

"That means that anyone who needs remediation done can come directly do us and won't need to go out for bids," Nugent said.

"This opens a big door for us."