Three to be honored with Business Leadership Awards

Three local businesspeople who exemplify outstanding business achievement in the South Sound have been selected to receive Business Leadership Awards from UW Tacoma's Milgard School of Business.

The three honorees are Business Leader of the Year Michael A. Tucci, chairman of the board of Tucci & Sons; Small Business Leader of the Year Ben Pentecost, co-owner of Rickabaugh Pentecost Development, LLC; and Non-Profit Business Leader of the Year George Cargill, chairman of the board of the United Service Organization of Puget Sound. They will be honored at the Business Leadership Awards dinner at 5:30 p.m. on April 30 at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Milgard School Web site or call Veronika Vacek at (253) 692-4580.

The awards recognize the achievements of business leaders from Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston and South King counties and strengthen the relationship between the business community and UW Tacoma, according to Milgard School of Business Dean Shahrokh Saudagaran.

"The individuals we honor with these awards are the best and brightest leaders in our region's business community," Saudagaran said. "The Milgard School is dedicated to training the next generation of business leaders, so it makes sense for us to recognize the outstanding leaders of today, right here in the South Sound."

The honorees were nominated by the community and selected by a panel from the Milgard School of Business advisory board and faculty and staff.