It all started in 1992. Financial advisor Peter Ferrante and Gregory J. Skoda of Skoda, Minotti & Company and representatives from Huntington Bank met to talk about the unique, small businesses they serve as clients.

The business leaders saw these clients as significant contributors to the economies of Lake and Geauga counties and wanted a way to draw attention to and support these companies, their products and services.

To do so, they developed a formal program – The Fast Track 50 Awards Program. The original founders invited The News-Herald to join them as a communication expert.

Less than a year after the first meeting, the first Fast Track Awards Banquet was held in October 1993. More than 450 people gathered at La Malfa Party Centre in Mentor to toast the 50 companies recognized that night. With huge initial success, the committee needed a home for the rapidly developing Fast Track 50 awards program. The Institute for Economic Development at Lakeland Community College became part of the core Fast Track 50 Committee.

In 2000, the committee added the Lake-Geauga Fast Track 50 Business Hall of Fame to recognize repeat winners. The Hall of Fame is housed in the T-building at Lakeland Community College. There, visitors will find a collection of plaques recognizing five- and ten-year award winners.

Each year at the awards banquet five-year winners are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Ten-year winners are recognized at the dinner.

The Fast Track 50 program continues today through the efforts of John Bertosa at The News-Herald, Jen Brawner at Skoda, Minotti & Company, Peter Ferrante at Wachovia Securities, Cathie Moss at Lakeland Community College and Eryn Medved at Huntington Bank.