Being the boss, even of the company your grandfather founded, is not always easy, Brown says. It’s tough to juggle day-to-day operations with long-term planning, and tough to cut off an overload of information or redirect people to the right channels. He makes use of professional training, which has helped him create clear channels of communication and accountability.

But the really exciting thing about being the boss? “When employees have really run with the position, and you can see them eager to take on, learn and apply… that’s what gets me juiced up,” he says.

For a complete list of Best Bosses nominees, click here.