October 08, 2004   |   Patrick Twohy — Each year's List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies represents the leading edge of our regional economy -- the companies reflect the financial tenor of the times.

When interest rates are at historical lows, as they were in 2003, industries that benefit from that tend to rise. In a year when hard times haven't quite drifted away, companies that can grow without spending lots of capital do well.

The companies on this year's List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies are there because they represent some of the best ways to grow top-line revenue. At the same time, many of them had the opportunity to show how they could grow because they were lucky: They chose the right time to put all the components for significant growth together.

The No. 1 Fastest-Growing Private Company on our List this year is a case in point. Metreo's leaders are savvy. They built a product, and an organization to market it, that takes advantage of the cautious mode that business leaders have adopted.

At the same time, companies connected in one way or another with residential real estate have grown nicely thanks to the combined boon of low interest rates, still-high home prices and buyers' willingness to pay those prices.

And, of course, a number of companies have done well simply because they found and served a niche.

What our List overwhelmingly demonstrates is the strength of our region. Our List is populated by every kind of concern, from biotechnology to bank services to travel to toys to masonry maintenance. In the aftermath of the Internet bubble and terror, our region has emerged with the innovation that makes for a robust and diverse economy.