Casey County entrepreneur Jordan Meece, third from left, owner of Aqua 41, was recognized as a finalist at the 2014 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards (EIEA) program in the Young Entrepreneur business category. Representat
ives from the EIEA sponsoring partners, from left, Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO, The Center for Rural Development; Brett Traver, executive director, Southeast Kentucky Economic Development (SKED); Dr. Michael T. Benson, president of Eastern Kentucky University; and Ray Moncrief, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation, presented Meece with a framed certificate as an EIEA finalist. The regional awards program was held Sept. 8 at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset.
Casey County entrepreneur and Rogers Scholars graduate Jordan Meece was recognized as a finalist at the 2014 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award (EIEA) program in the Young Entrepreneur business category.
Meece, owner of Aqua 41, a fine fragrance company, was honored as one of the region’s top young entrepreneurs at the annual EIEA luncheon and regional awards program on Sept. 8 at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset.
Aqua 41 was launched in 2013 on the premise of providing the highest quality fine fragrance at an affordableprice. Each perfume or cologne is aged for 41 days before launched in the market place.
Meece developed the idea for the product after attending the Art Institute in Charleston, S.C. He studied brand development there and returned to Kentucky to start work on research and development on the Aqua 41 brand.
The entrepreneur worked for more than a year to develop brand concepts and designs before he started contacting perfumeries to develop a partnership. Aqua 41 is sold in boutiques across the United States.
Meece graduated from The Center for Rural Development’s Rogers Scholars program in 2008. The program provides exclusive leadership and college scholarship opportunities for high school students in Southern and Eastern Kentucky to develop skills as the region’s next generation of business and entrepreneurial leaders.
“Our innovative business owners are shaping the future of Southern and Eastern Kentucky, through job growth and development,” said U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05), a supporter of the EIEA program. “I applaud all of the 2014 EIEA award winners and finalists for investing their talents and resources into our region. We need you here, and we are thankful for each business and every job. In fact, I encourage all of our leaders in business and education to continue promoting entrepreneurship for greater growth and opportunities in our Appalachian region.”
The EIEA program recognizes the region’s top business owners and entrepreneurs in 55 Kentucky counties for their economic success, community contributions, and operational achievements in a business or non-profit organization.
The program is presented by Eastern Kentucky University College of Business and Technology, Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation, Southeast Kentucky Economic Development (SKED), and The Center for Rural Development.