Ranking Women, Minorities
Published Saturday, November 2, 2002
THE INSIDER

Four local companies are among the biggest women- or minority-owned firms in Florida, according to a recent ranking. A Web site called Div2000.com has a list of minority and women owned firms from across the country. Big Fortune 1000 firms and governments visit the Web site when hoping to do business with a minority-owned firm. Recently the Web site ranked the biggest women- and minority-owned firms in each state by annual sales. Locally, NextGen Technologies of Lakeland ranked No. 42 in Florida, with sales of about $5.5 million. It is headed by an Indian-born man. Other local firms on the list are: (No. 67) Simonds Manufacturing Corp. of Auburndale, a woman-owned firm with $4 million in revenues; (No. 90) Douglass Screen Printers of Lakeland, a woman-owned firm with $2.85 million in revenues; and (No. 100) Madrid Engineering Group of Bartow, a Hispanic-owned business with $2.4 million in revenues, according to the ranking.