The Catalyst Awards are awarded annually by Southwest Michigan First to honor companies in the Kalamazoo Region as Catalysts for Economic Success that have created jobs and wealth in the community. In the Fourth Quarter of 2009, the economic development organization honored 11 companies and its Community Partner of the Year, the city of Galesburg, for partnering in the creation of over 900 jobs in Southwest Michigan.
The companies and their contributions were announced on Thursday, December 17, 2009, at a ceremony held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo. Southwest Michigan First Chairman, William D. Johnston, and Southwest Michigan First Chief Executive Officer, Ron Kitchens, presented the awards to each recipient.
The honorees are each presented with 'The Catalyst,’ a beautiful hand-blown glass sculpture created exclusively for this event by local artist Judith Konesni of Tidal Wave Glass.
2009 Catalyst Award recipients include:
- ADMETRx
- Beckan Industries, Inc.
- East Jordan Plastics
- HUMANeX Ventures
- J. Rettenmaier USA LP
- MANN+HUMMEL USA LP
- Metabolic Solutions Development Co.
- Mossberg Diagnostics
- Pfizer Animal Health
- RealBio Technology Inc.
- Velesco Pharmaceutical Services
- City of Galesburg – Community Partner of the Year

Photo Courtesy of West Michigan Business Review
More information about previous Catalyst Award winners can be found here:
December 10, 2008: Annual Awards
November 15, 2007: AZON and PharmOptima
June 26, 2007: Graphic Packaging and Weber Specialties
March 1, 2007: Midlink Business Park and Innovative Annalytics
October 30, 2006: Borroughs Corporation and Bridge Organics
June 22, 2006: AvTech Laboratories and Bell's Brewery