Carey Smith, president and CEO of Big Ass Fans, has been named Inc.’s Economy Hero. The competition, hosted by Inc. and its partner SAP, was created to highlight companies and their respective CEOs that are helping the country get out of the recession by providing jobs, innovative work, and new business models.
Out of 250 applicants, Smith was awarded the grand prize honor due to his continuous commitment to creating jobs and ground-breaking work. The economy has affected Big Ass Fans as it did most companies in the country. Unlike other companies, Big Ass Fans did not implement layoffs or cancel existing benefit programs. Instead, the company took the approach of looking for new markets and customers and developing new products for the long-term success of the business.
Smith and the Economy Hero finalists were announced at Inc.’s GROWCO (Grow Your Company Conference) in Las Vegas. As the grand prize winner, Smith and Big Ass Fans Company received a prize package worth more than $250,000. PD
—From Big Ass Fans news release
