OREANDA-NEWS. FedEx Ground, the small-package ground unit of FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX), awarded one of its highest honors to three entrepreneurs whose small businesses provide transportation services for the company.  Satgur Singh Athwal (of Athwal FDS Corporation, Riverside, Calif.), Brian Birmingham (of Sailor-Saint, Inc., Springfield, MO) and Jeffrey Kemmerling (of Cash Transport, Inc., Columbus, Ohio) were named FedEx Ground Entrepreneurs of the Year.

“We established our Entrepreneur of the Year program in 2007 to honor these exceptional small-business owners who work with FedEx Ground and deliver reliable, safe, cost-effective, and professional service,” said Henry J. Maier, president and CEO of FedEx Ground.  “They built their thriving businesses from the ground up growing alongside FedEx Ground, while also making significant contributions to their local communities.”

FedEx Ground works with more than 8,500 small businesses throughout the United States and Canada, and Athwal, Birmingham and Kemmerling were selected from the 17 regional winners representing the best of those companies for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2013. Selection criteria included business growth and development, customer service, safety record, community involvement, and business ethics.

The following are brief company profiles of the business owners honored:
- Satgur Singh Athwal – Athwal FDS Corporation, Riverside, Calif.
- Brian Birmingham – Sailor-Saint, Inc., Springfield, MO.
- Jeffrey Kemmerling – Cash Transport, Inc., Columbus, Ohio.