Maybe it’s the Oscars, but I’m thinking about “bests,” and realizing not all bests lists must necessarily be published in December. See above (Oh, Canada!), and then a few more from me:
Best manufacturer (also tied for first, innovation): Apple.
Best financial services: Progressive. Friedman Billings Ramsey. Commerce Bank (also tied for first, retail).
Best business services: Infosys. RE/MAX.
Best (tied for first) retail: Whole Foods Markets.
Best entrepreneurial giant business: Tie, GE and Johnson & Johnson.
Best education: Big Picture.
Best CEO: Bob Nardelli, Home Depot.
Best re-imagineer: Steve Jobs (Apple); Kevin Roberts (Saatchi & Saatchi); Richard Branson (Virgin)
Best, bullshit detector: Eliot Spitzer.
Best, Shock & Awe (Company): Wal*Mart.
Best, Shock & Awe (Nation): China.
Best, Built to Last: None. (Honorable Mention, GE.)
Best, Big Co Mergers: None.
Best, marketing to women: None.
Best, marketing to boomers-geezers: None.
Best & Worst: Donald Trump. (Best, audacity & personal branding. Worst, jerk/sensitivity-to-one’s-fellow-human-beings.)
Worst, whatever: Martha Stewart, federal felon. (She cheated every single one of us who buy stock without insider information.)
Your additions are more than welcome!