BizFilings Awards $5,000 Grand Prize to "Second Career" Entrepreneur 

Madison, WI (May 4, 2009) – Early retirement wasn't what Rich Halbeisen wanted or expected after a 30-year engineering career with IBM. So at age 51 he went back to school, started a business, ran into a fellow ex-IBMer, and they formed another business, Accucheck Professional Home Inspection, LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A few weeks later their new business got a big boost when they learned they won the $5,000 Grand Prize in the BizFilings $5K Giveaway Sweepstakes.

"It's a great story," said Karen Kobelski, general manager of BizFilings, the online incorporation provider who sponsored the sweepstakes. "Rich should be an inspiration to anyone who is an unfortunate casualty of these difficult economic times. He developed a plan, worked hard, and is building a second career where he can determine his own destiny. We couldn't have asked for a better representative of what this sweepstakes is about."

What the sweepstakes was about, Kobelski said, was helping entrepreneurs and small business owners start a new business or grow their existing business in tough economic times when start-up capital and business credit are difficult to obtain. In addition to the $5,000 won by Halbeisen and partner Fern Wright, the 2nd prize of $1,000 in printing credit from PrintingForLess.com went to James Rudisill who formed SwimFast, LLC and the third prize of a 1-year membership in the National Business Association went to Dawn Vermillion who formed Rocky Mountain Tree Surgeon, LLC.

Any entrepreneur or business owner who formed a business, or filed a doing business as (DBA), or foreign qualification order between December 2008 and March 2009 was entered into the drawing and received a bonus item of 500 free business cards. Thousands of business owners took advantage of the sweepstakes while incorporating online and received the bonus business cards.
  
Kobelski is hoping the timeliness of the contest won't go unnoticed: “Every day we are in the fortunate position of helping small business owners follow their dreams. While incorporation helps protect the owners’ personal assets from the debts and liabilities of their business, the current economic situation has put tremendous stress on many business owners. It’s harder to obtain capital and to meet everyday business expenses.  We are pleased to award this prize to Rich, Fern and Accucheck Professional Home Inspection, LLC and support them on their path to success.
"We congratulate our top three winners especially, but believe everyone who formed a business or expanded their current business during the contest period is a winner in their own right."

About BizFilings
BizFilings, a Wolters Kluwer company, is a full-service online incorporation service provider, offering small business owners a fast, easy, and economical way to form a corporation, limited liability company (LLC), or other business structure online or by phone. BizFilings also offers a full range of business filing and compliance products, including nationwide Registered Agent service, helping keep businesses in compliance with state regulations.

Contact
Joe Voellinger
Marketing Director
608.527.5300
jvoellinger@BizFilings.com