First Place, Ages 12-15
CARLEEN SIERRA NIEMAN , Indiana

Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year: TIMOTHY CARL NIEMAN

My name is Carleen Sierra Nieman, and I would like to nominate my dad, Timothy Carl Nieman, as Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year. He is a disabled American Veteran and owns his own business called Patriot Trailers & Accessories, LLC.

My dad was in the U.S. Army for three years as an air assault, mountain infantry soldier with the 25th Infantry Division, from 1989 to 1992. Though he was in the Army during Desert Storm, he was alerted to go, but the alert was cancelled, so he didn't go over there. While he was in the Army, he learned important things like values, responsibility, respect, honor and dedication. He enjoyed his training very much and earned some medals and awards while he was there.

The skills my dad got while in the Army that make him a better entrepreneur are personal skills that help him treat other people in a way that they enjoy working for him. He is a good leader and people want to work for him. His company makes trailers and things for people to use to take things anyplace. My dad even has an invention with a patent on it, and is working on getting a patent on something else and said he has a couple more things he's designing that will get a patent too.

My dad contributes to the family a lot. He pays the bills, likes to spend time with the family, teaches me right from wrong, encourages me to do my best even when it's tough and helps me when I struggle. I was born in 1994, two years after he got out of the Army and he told me that I am the reason he went back to school. He said he wanted to provide me with the best life possible and the only way he could do that, is if he made himself better, so he went to school and became a welding engineer. While he was going to school, he dreamed of having his own business some day. When he finished school, he worked to get experience and then recently began starting his own business.

In addition to his work and family, my dad helps the community and shows his patriotism at the same time by being a 2nd Lieutenant in the Indiana Guard Reserve. The IGR is a volunteer military organization that supports the National Guard and does community service and trains in preparation for a state emergency if needed. Since the IGR is a volunteer group and everyone has to pay for everything themselves, like uniforms and stuff, my dad will use his company to sponsor new recruits with uniforms and activity expenses when someone needs help. He will also encourage his workers to consider joining the IGR, and if they participate regularly, he will pay them if they miss work for IGR missions and exercises during the week.

He also shows appreciation to Veteran employees for their service by giving them the day off with pay on Veterans Day, and has recognized fellow Veterans by submitting their names to receive a Freedom Team Salute Certificate of Appreciation. I am so proud of my dad, and I like to wear his old dog tags and Army clothes. I even have some pajamas and t-shirts that look like Army. I think the uniforms are really cool. I like looking at my dad's old pictures, his awards and other Army stuff.

When I finish school, I want to join the Army like my dad. I'm not sure what else I want to do yet, but my dad tries to give me ideas of what he thinks I'd be good at, like graphic design. If I can have my own business some day, I hope I can be like my dad and have people want to work for me too.

I think my dad should be chosen as the 1st Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year because he served his country with pride and honor, and continues to show his patriotism every day, while serving his family and the community while operating his business.

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