Hilltop Basic Resources Inc. grabbed the top spot in this year's University of Cincinnati Goering Center's Family Business of the Year Awards.

The downtown Cincinnati based mining and construction materials company, which competed among companies with more than 100 employees, was among four family-owned companies snagging top honors at the awards program last week.

Long Stanton Manufacturing Co. Inc., a Hamilton-based maker of metal stampings and precision sheet metal fabrication, was named best company in the region with less than 100 employees; for innovation, J&N Auto Electric Inc., a Woodlawn-based automotive parts distributor that specializes in selling starters and alternators for all types of vehicles and engines, won the top award in that category; and RestorAid Disaster Services and Coit Services, also of Woodlawn, won top honors for community service.

RestorAid, founded in 1997 and owned by Keith Desserich, is a water and fire damage clean-up company. Coit, founded in 1966 and owned by Dennis and Doug Desserich, Keith's father and uncle respectively, is a carpet, furniture and drapery cleaning company. Both businesses combined have more than 60 employees.

The event last week at Music Hall in Over-The-Rhine was attended by 575 business owners and their families, friends and colleagues. The winners were selected from among 250 companies in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana that were nominated for the awards.

Hilltop, which specializes in mining and distributing sand and gravels, supplying and producing ready-mix concrete to contractors in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, was founded in 1941 and is in the third generation of family ownership.

John Steele Jr., Hilltop's owner, chairman and CEO, is grandson of the company's founder.

The company can be recognized by its signature red-and-green Hilltop concrete trucks and its ready-mix concrete plant just southwest of Paul Brown Stadium.

Kevin Sheehan, the company's president, said the company is focused on continuing growth, increasing revenues and improving profitability.

He said a strong five-member board of directors and professional management team have been keys to Hilltop's growth. The company had revenues of more than $46 million in 2005 and expects to double that by 2010.

"We're honored to be receiving the award because it's a reflection of the commitment of all 250 employees of Hilltop," Sheehan said.

Long Stanton was founded in 1862 and is in its sixth generation of family ownership. The business is owned by Daniel Cunningham and employs 75 people.

J&N Auto Electric is now owned by brothers Tom and Nick Kuechly, sons of John Kuechly, who founded the company in 1954.

Tom Kuechly, the company's president, said technology, automation and hard work have helped the company improve customer service by delivering products to clients faster, boost sales and increase profitability. Though it would not disclose sales, Kuechly said J&N Electric's sales have grown at a double-digit rate the last three years.

Tom Kuechly attributes the company's growth to its more than 75 employees and its willingness to take risks to expand its operations.

"Our success is directly attributable to the contributions of all of the J&N employees," he said.

E-mail jmckinney@enquirer.com