Matthew Earnest, 25, runs his own landscaping business company.

Earnest was chosen as the winner after Dickies officials read his nomination form

from his mother.

According to Earnest's mother, he started the business at 13 and has kept

it going. She added he has a soft spot for his elderly customers and often does

extra chores for them and has also gained respect of veteran businessman in the

community for his work.

Earnest received $500 in cash and prizes for his state win and was

entered into the national contest with the other state winners.

"Reading all the entries each year reaffirms what we've always believed

about American workers," said Jon Ragsdale, director of marketing for Dickies.

"Sometimes we think we have the toughest job of all-picking just one person from

each state."

National winners were 40-year-old Anna Allen, a former welfare

mother who now owns a successful day care business in Michigan, and Dr.

Leon Pandracky, a Pennsylvania optometrist who works with the poor in his

small-town practice.

The winners were selected from thousands of entries from across the

nation. Entrants were asked to write 75 words or less about why their nominee

deserved recognition.

Dickies started the awards seven years ago to honor hard working people

around the country. The national winners each won a 1998 Chevy Silverado truck and

a trip to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in October for the awards ceremony.

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