12 new ambassadors innovative and social entrepreneurship

The Brabants Besten group for 2019 consists of 12 new ambassadors and 12 who have been reappointed. They excel, each in their own way, in fulfilling their role as employer and manager. The various entrepreneurs do this, for example, by hiring and supervising people with disabilities, by giving people on the shop floor more say in the organisation of their work, by setting up a programme to keep older employees fit for longer, or by training people with no work experience within their company. This makes them an example to other entrepreneurs.

Ambassador Programme


The province appoints the entrepreneurs as Brabants Besten because it wants to use the thinking power of innovative employers. The ambassadors programme stimulates and facilitates the companies to share their ideas and experiences with other entrepreneurs for a whole year. They do this, for example, during workshops, lectures and guided tours of their company. The province brings them into contact with municipalities and educational institutions. In this way, they jointly strengthen the Brabant labour market.

The ambassadors' programme has been in place since 2014. All the companies in the network of ambassadors are pioneers in the field of social and corporate social responsibility. In addition, they achieve good business results. Commissioner for Economy Bert Pauli: 'Fortunately, Brabant has many entrepreneurs who look beyond their wallets and who want to make a difference for their employees and their environment. A good example makes you follow it well. That's why we are putting our Brabants Besten in the spotlight today and hope that they will inspire other entrepreneurs.

New Brabant Bests


During a meeting in the provincial government building, the following companies were appointed ambassadors for the first time:

1. Michel Petrusma of AXI in Breda 
2. Goof Rhine village of Bras Fijnaart in Heijningen 
3. Huub the King of the King Group in Oosterhout 
4. Albert Frankenhuis of depostBode in Oss 
5. Hans van den Bersselaar van Jos van den Bersselaar Constructie bv in Udenhout 
6. Bas Leseman of Leseman Car Care in Tilburg 
7. Dieuwke Simonis-Stellinga of Restaurant Onze Kerk in Hooge Zwaluwe 
8. Fred Schiebergen of Solipharma in Oudenbosch 
9. Laurens Swanenberg of Swanenberg Hydraulics bv in Helmond 
10. Willy Swinkels of Swinkels Glass in Eindhoven 
11. Jos van Doren of Van Doren Engineers in Boekel 
12. Arnold Versteeg of VPT Versteeg in Heusden

Reappointed ambassadors
1. Felipe Muñoz Mateu from ATS All Tape Supplies bv in Tilburg. 
2. Martijn de Krom of De Krom Pavements in Etten-Leur 
3. Andriëtte Dice from DRT Floors in Oss 
4. Rob Stevens from Interconnect in 's-Hertogenbosch 
5. Charl Goossens from Gova bv in Nispen 
6. Jos van Esch van J. van Esch bv in Cromvoirt 
7. Piet Heerkens of Lavans bv in Helmond 
8. Wim Hillenbrink of Manders Total in Helmond 
9. Koen Melis of Melis Foundries in Tilburg 
10. William Baars of OC Verhulst in Drunen 
11. Karel van Rooij of Van den Broek Logistics in Helmond 
12. Judith Vermeulen of Opera electrical engineering & manufacturing in Made