The late William S. “Bill” Marvin, who built Marvin Windows and Doors from a small lumberyard into a major window and door manufacturer, will be recognized April 25 with induction into the IDEA Hall of Fame. Marvin is the fifth inductee to the hall.

According to the announcement, Marvin joined his father’s Warroad-based lumber business as the eighth employee and led its entry into manufacturing. Today, the company employs more than 4,000 people in five states.

“My father was a believer in the power of great ideas,” says John W. “Jake” Marvin, chairman and CEO of the Marvin Companies. “He would take an idea from anyone, anytime — test it out and see if it made sense. And if it did, he wasn’t afraid to take a risk.

“My father had opportunities over the years to move his business away from Northwest Minnesota, but he valued the spirit, intelligence and frontier ingenuity of the people who make their home here,” he adds. “He was proud of our region and a tireless promoter of it. We’re honored and humbled by this recognition.”

The IDEA Competition has already helped 10 startup businesses in Northwest Minnesota become commercially viable. This year’s winners will receive a $10,000 cash grant, along with services and direction from Northwest Minnesota’s leading business resources.

The IDEA Hall of Fame induction will take place at 5 p.m. in the Sanford Events Center in Bemidji, in conjunction with the fourth annual IDEA Competition. The IDEA Competition seeks to grow the economy of Northwest Minnesota by identifying the next generation of homegrown entrepreneurs and helping them develop their breakthrough ideas.