Dippin' Dots is the product of a scientist with a sweet tooth. Experimenting with cryogenics in 1988, microbiologist and entrepreneur Curt Jones used liquid nitrogen to flash-freeze ice cream into tiny beads and named his creations Dippin' Dots. Today the company has a chain of more than 400 franchised locations in the US selling Dippin' Dots ice cream, frozen yogurt, and frozen ice. The product, once billed as The Ice Cream of the Future, comes in about two dozen flavors, and is manufactured at the company's plant in Paducah, Kentucky. Dippin' Dots' Global division oversees licensees in about 10 countries.

Founded by David T. Nederlander, the Nederlander Organization began in 1912 with the purchase of a 99-year lease on the old Detroit Opera House. Now into their third generation of theatre development, ownership, management and production, the Nederlander Organization is one of the largest, most experienced operators of live theatre. Generally credited with creating the outdoor amphitheater concept as it is known today, the Nederlanders developed a unique ability to maintain a variety booking approach that responded to varied community interests. Under the guidance of its Chairman, James M. Nederlander and its President, James L. Nederlander, these policies have included a significant effort to produce and present cultural attractions such as the Bolshoi Ballet, The Moiseyev Ballet, The D'oyly-Carte Opera, The Georgian State Dance Company, Ballet Folklorico, The Peking Opera and local symphonies.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates in cruise vacation industry in North America and internationally. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. owns five cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, and CDF Croisieres de France. The Royal Caribbean International brand serves the contemporary segments providing a range of onboard services, amenities, and activities. Its offerings principally include swimming pools, sun and lawn decks, spa facilities, beauty salons, bungee jumping trampolines, boxing rings, gaming facilities, lounges, bars, dining venues, hot glass shows, retail shopping, libraries, recreational areas for youth of various ages, cinemas, conference centers, Internet cafes, shore excursions at each port of call, ice skating rinks, and water park.

La Quinta...Spanish for "Next to Denny's?" LQ Management is owner of the La Quinta (which is Spanish for the villa) hotel brand. The company has hotels throughout the US (about 45 states), Canada, and Mexico under the La Quinta Inns and La Quinta Inn & Suites brands. LQ Management franchises the majority of its properties. The growing company has more than 750 hotels, which encompass some 65,000 guest rooms; in addition, it has some 250 properties in the development pipeline. La Quinta hotels operate in the limited service, midscale segment. It targets a mix of corporate and leisure travelers. LQ Management is owned by investment firm The Blackstone Group.

You might say that seafood is the bait this company uses to lure customers to its restaurants. McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants owns and operates about 90 upscale casual-dining spots that offer fish and other seafood dishes from its approximately 80-dish menu. Located in more than two dozen states, the restaurants operate primarily under the McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant brand, while other locations carry such names as M&S Grill, McCormick's Fish House & Bar, and Jake's Grill. Each restaurant offers a full-service bar and regionally distinct menu items. McCormick & Schmick's also owns about a half dozen Boathouse restaurants in Canada.

Since 1946, the bright eyed Big Boy has been keeping a smile on your face and your stomach full, but Frisch's has been around longer than that. From creating Cincinnati's first Drive-in restaurant to introducing us to the famous double-decker Big Boy sandwich, Frisch's has been a part of our lives for close to a century. Buddie Boy, Big Boy, Super Big Boy, Brawny Lad -- Frisch's burger menu reads like an arm-wrestling contest marquee. Frisch's Restaurants operates and licenses about 115 Frisch's Big Boy family-style restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Famous for its double-decker hamburgers, the Big Boy chain also offers chicken, roast beef, pasta, and seafood dinners, as well as a breakfast bar that converts to a soup and salad bar at lunch. More than 25 locations are operated by licensees. In addition, Frisch's operates about 35 buffet-style Golden Corral steak houses in many of the same areas. The family of president and CEO Craig Maier owns more than 55% of the company.

The Texas Lottery Commission hopes to have the eyes of Texans watching the lotto jackpot. The Texas Lottery Commission oversees one of the country's largest state lotteries, which has pumped more than $15 billion into state coffers since its inaugural in 1991. More than 60% of lottery sales are paid out in prize money, while almost 30% goes to the state's Foundation School Fund; the remainder goes to retailer commissions and administrative costs. The lottery offers numbers games and several instant-win games sold through grocery stores, gas stations, and convenience stores. In addition, Texas participates in Mega Millions, a multistate lottery game.

After many dark and dreary seasons, the Ravens no longer just ponder a Super Bowl victory. Named in honor of the Edgar Allan Poe poem, the Baltimore Ravens Limited Partnership owns and operates Baltimore's National Football League franchise, which won its first Super Bowl following the 2000 season. The team was created in 1996 when former Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell relocated his franchise to Maryland. As part of the deal, Modell agreed to give up all rights to the Browns' name, colors, and history. The team plays host at M&T Bank Stadium. Stephen Bisciotti, a local businessman who founded staffing firm Allegis Group, acquired control of the team from Modell in 2004.

Travelers stay in hotels; American Property Management Corporation (APMC) buys and runs them. The company owns and operates about 30 hotels and resorts, with more than 6,500 guest rooms in the US. APMC focuses on full-service hotels with between 300 and 800 rooms primarily in first- or second-tier and resort markets. Properties are located primarily in the Southwest, but also in Florida and Ohio. APMC also manages a resort property in Spain. Brands include Doubletree, Hilton, Radisson, Sheraton, and Starwood. The company also owns online ticket outlet Buy Prime Tickets, The Santa Fe Salsa Co., and Phoenicia Olive Oil. Jim Long co-founded APMC with CEO Michael Gallegos in 1990.

Chateau Elan Resorts, LLC was founded in 1981 by businessman Donald Panoz and his wife Nancy. Panoz first made millions pioneering a nicotine patch through his Elan Pharmaceuticals. Chateau Elan proves you don't have to be French to enjoy fine wine, fast cars, and fancy hotels. The upscale resort is located in Braselton, Georgia (30 minutes north of Atlanta), but is designed to resemble a 16th-century French-style château ("Élan" means "spirit" in French). The grounds are home to luxury accommodations at the Château Élan Inn, as well as a spa, four golf courses, eight restaurants, a tennis center, and a 3,500-acre winery.

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