What started in 1982 as a print publication, the Inc. brand has grown into one of the most trusted names for entrepreneurial and business resources in print and on-line. From industry insights to profiles of professionals, it spans the volatile domestic entrepreneurial landscape to educate and inspire like-minded individuals. Among its more recognizable honors are its annual Inc. 500 | 5000 awards, which celebrate the fastest growing companies in the United States.

About the time Inc. Magazine expanded its Inc. awards from 500 to 5000 in 2007, Matias de Tezanos was on the heels of another successful venture, selling advertising network ClickDiario.com to News Corporation. Drawing on his experience of building and selling the Spanish-speaking hotel reservation site – Hoteles.com – to travel giant Expedia in 2002, his success with ClickDiario.com was no surprise.

Now in 2011, de Tezanos has been named to the Inc. 500 | 5000 list for successfully leading the Miami-based BrokersWeb to become the fastest growing insurance company in the United States. Previously, de Tezanos’ BrokersWeb received local recognition as South Florida’s Fastest Growing Company by the South Florida Business Journal.

BrokersWeb operates 12 sites, offering both insurance and end-users options for advertising and plan comparisons respectively. Ranked No. 20 overall in the Inc. 500 | 5000 list, BrokersWeb has seen an 8,127-percent three-year growth, with $15.7 million in revenue in 2010.

Adding to de Tezanos’ honors was his inclusion in Inc.com’s Top 10 Latino and Hispanic Entrepreneurs list. Interestingly, his arrival in the insurance vertical was spawned in large part because of a non-compete clause that didn’t allow him to enter the Latin Market. “I knew nothing about insurance four years ago,” de Tezanos told Inc.com. “It’s growing even faster than I thought.”

Clearly, there is little he cannot tackle.