Mary Maas of M2 Interiors & Design LLC, Bluffton, has won first place in the regional Big Idea contest for entrepreneurs. Maas has been awarded a $1000 prize for her Aging in Place concept, which includes designs and principles that help clients remain in their homes as they grow older and their needs and abilities change.

Maas was awarded first place among fourteen contestants because of her ability to meet key criteria. “Mary stood out because she has a background as a registered nurse and … knowledge of interior design, which is what her concept is all about,” commented John Bauer of the Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs. Maas described her services, explaining, “The overall benefit of Aging in Place design is the ability to create a safe, comfortable, and supportive home environment, which enables older adults to overcome problems with activities of daily living and potential hazards in their home. I want positive outcomes for seniors and to offer them the option of remaining in their own home.”

According to the AARP, there is a rising demand by senior citizens and those of the Boomer generation to stay in their homes rather than move to assisted living or nursing homes. These desires are central to Maas’s business concept. More information on the subject is available at www.m2interiorsanddesign.com.

The second place winner was Russell Dunmire of Findlay, who was awarded $500. His Big Idea entry was a medical patient ombudsman who efficiently files Medicaid and insurance forms.

Third place was shared between Keith Verhoff of Mt. Cory and Jonathan Rankin of Ada, who each won $250. Verhoff’s entry was a berm roller, a piece of equipment for road repair that fits onto the back of a tractor or truck and packs down the berm while easily adjusting to the road’s slope. Rankin’s entry was a robotic ice cream maker which places selected toppings onto the ice cream.

Contest judges included area university business faculty: Paul Sears of University of Findlay, Dan Ferguson of Ohio Northern University, and George Lehman of Bluffton University.

The Big Idea contest was a collaborative effort by several small business incubators including Lima, Van Wert, and Bowling Green organizations, Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs, and RPG of Toledo. American Electric Power of Ohio was the major sponsor and provided the $2,000 prize money.