Businessman of the Year

Backman may meet president

MOSES LAKE — Mr. Backman is going to Washington.

AutoWerkes and Marine, Inc., owner Scott Backman has been named a 2005 Businessman of the Year by the National Republican Congressional Committee.

"I've never received anything like this," Backman said. "I've worked really hard at making this place work. I'm still kind of fathoming in that this is actually real."

Backman may fly to Washington, D.C. for a presentation dinner in March with other recipients, although he says he is not yet certain whether or not he will go, since he is busy with work and also starting up an automobile manufacturing company with a friend in Moses Lake.

Last year, Backman said, President George W. Bush was in attendance at the dinner and everybody got to meet him one-on-one.

"The first time I've ever met a president in my life," he said of the prospect of meeting Bush. "It should be pretty neat, though."

If he gets the opportunity to talk to Bush one-on-one, Backman said he would address the fact that the small business owner needs a leg up. Many need to know they can survive.

"It is survival of the fittest in this state," Backman said. "It's a tough state to own and operate a business in. "

Prior to receiving the award, Backman was interviewed on the phone several times by representatives of the Republican Party about his feelings on taxes for the small business owner.

"Just giving a solid viewpoint on what they feel or what they wanted to hear, I guess, just on what I have seen as far as taxation to the small businessman," Backman explained. "It's kind of ridiculous. This is probably one of the toughest states there is to run a business, just with the amount of taxes we have to pay and everything."

Backman said he gave a full viewpoint of what he feels is right and wrong with the government and how much money they take from small business owners, including several ideas he has for ways to possibly make it easier on them.

"The big corporations and stuff, they're easy to hold together," he said. "The small businessman is somebody that just gets kicked around a lot, I feel. You come to this country, opportunity is in the eye of the beholder. But you really have to have a lot of determination. You've got to be thick-skinned to deal with everything that's out there."

A mechanic for about 30 years, Backman moved to Moses Lake five years ago with his now-wife of about two years, Christine. He purchased AutoWerkes from a neighbor three years ago.

"It literally exploded in my face," Backman said of his business' growth, which includes a marine shop in the back that employs a full-time technician. "I've had anywhere from eight employees alll the way up to 14 employees. From how small it was and just starting out with just me here, it's just been incredible how far it's escalated to be what it is."

Backman attributes that to his customers in Moses Lake, whom he called the neatest thing about the town.

"I put my heart and my soul into my work and be as fair as possible to people," he said, adding he tries to give a genuine hand of help in a time when many are all about business. "I just think a lot more people out there … should put their heart into their work."