Promoting Excellence in Small Business: Capogiro Gelato Artisans & New Way Air Bearings

Two of ten winners of the Chamber’s 2008 Excellence Awards Honoring the Region’s Small Businesses are featured in this issue: Retailer of the Year, Capogiro Gelato Artisans, LLC; and Technological Excellence of the Year, New Way Air Bearings. Be sure to look for additional winners in upcoming issues. Click here to submit nominations for the 2009 Excellence Awards.

Retailer of the Year, Capogiro Gelato Artisans, LLC (John Reitano, President)

John & Stephanie Reitano. Top Guns Photography

Capogiro Gelato Artisans was founded in 2002 by the husband-and-wife team of John and Stephanie Reitano. The year before, John, a practicing physician, and Stephanie, a kids’ boutique-clothing entrepreneur and mother of their three children, took a trip to John’s birthplace in Italy, where Stephanie had her first taste of old-world gelato.

The couple, who had always been exploring business-venture ideas, decided they would bring the tradition of this high-end delicacy back to Philadelphia. After extensive research, Stephanie decided to create gelato the old-fashioned way, making every flavor by hand and relying on local agricultural sources for the best-tasting ingredients. She has since been recognized by culinary and media circles as one of the finest and most innovative gelato chefs in the U.S.

As the first new tenant at 13th and Sansom Streets, Capogiro Gelato Artisans quickly became a cultural and lifestyle destination that helped launch a neighborhood and a brand, acclaimed by visiting Italians and local Philadelphians alike. Today, the company employs 35 people, has two retail locations in Philadelphia, and distributes to major grocers, specialty grocers, restaurants and specialty food establishments in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago and Seattle.

The owners' commitment to this region is demonstrated by their support of the local, state and regional economies, including the use of fresh ingredients from fruit and dairy farmers in Lancaster County. They plan to move to a larger manufacturing facility; and open five additional retail locations over the next three years.

Capogiro Gelato Artisans still operates without help from a public relations or marketing firm, yet continues to attract national and international attention, including recognition from Saveur, The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Town and Country, Food and Wine, Travel and Leisure, The New York Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly 2003.

The award was sponsored by PIDC.

To be considered for the 2009 Retailer of the Year award, a company must excel in one or more of the following: exemplary service, exceptional product, substantial growth, and/or community involvement.

Technology Excellence of the Year, New Way Air Bearings (Nick Hackett, President & CEO, and Drew Devitt, Founder & CTO)

NIck and Pam Hacket, Drew Devitt and Christine Otto.Top Guns Photography

New Way Air Bearings is the world leader in the design and manufacture of modular air bearing products, and is the recognized provider of integrated porous media air bearing solutions. These modular products are inexpensive, easy to use, and available from stock.

New Way was founded in 1994 by Drew Devitt to commercialize the porous media air bearing technology that he had developed while at his father’s company, Devitt Machinery, Inc. In 2002, Nick Hackett joined the team as president and CEO to help Drew take the business to the next level. The company has since tripled its revenue and employees (now at 72), and was recognized on the fastest-growth company lists for Inc. 5000 and the Philadelphia 100.

Air bearings allow for frictionless motion in precision machines used in systems where the performance requirements cannot be met by traditional, rolling element ball bearings. No heat, no lubrication, and no damage if the air supply fails are key advantages of the new technology. Current innovative applications including use in semiconductor manufacturing, flat panel display manufacturing, and next-generation computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan machines.

New Way’s technology and products are sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in over 30 countries worldwide. It is one of the few manufacturing companies that exports products to Asia, with significant sales in Japan, Korea and Israel, accounting for a third of their revenue.

New Way, based in Aston, PA, is an equal opportunity employer and benefits from a diverse workforce including men and women from a wide range of ages and ethnic backgrounds. It has developed relationships with several colleges, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Penn State. The company recently sponsored a math program for the University of Delaware by providing real-life technical problems for students to tackle, and developed an intern program that resulted in the full-time hire of a local graduate. New Way also prides itself on sponsoring and/or donating time and money to local athletic teams, a local Montessori school, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Folsom Fire Company and Aston Township.

The award was sponsored by Ben Franklin Technology Partners.

To be considered for the 2009 Technology Excellence of the Year award a company should use technology to enhance their service or product in an innovative way and provide a service or product that is beneficial to the community/region.