I Can't Help It

I'll be spending lunch-time tomorrow listening to some speech-ifying at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. It's the luncheon for the 2006 Rochester Top 100, which ranks the 100 fastest-growing private companies in our region. We wrote about this year's batch of winners on Sunday.

Now in its 20th year, the Top 100 ranks privately held companies based on three most recent years of revenue growth. Companies must have at least $1 million in revenue for each of those years, and rankings take into account both dollar and percentage growth. This year's winner is Frank Lill and Co.

Don't exactly know how the luncheon will unfold...but I believe there is one matter that is a safe bet. Put the mortgage money on this:

Joe Klein, the chief executive officer of Klein Steel Service, will NOT be allowed near the microphone.

(Klein created a stir in October with a take-no-prisoners speech after being named small business person of the year by the Small Business Council of the Rochester Business Alliance. The RBA is one of the co-organizers of the Top 1oo.)

But Klein could very well be at the luncheon. His company ranks No. 45 on the Top 100 and has been a member of the list for many years.