SBA Announces Small Business Person of the Year Winners


2014 Small Business Person of the Year Award

The U.S. Small Business Administration has chosen winners for the 2014 “Small Business Person of the Year” in the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.

Every year the SBA chooses its Small Business Person of the Year in each state and territory.  The awards recognize business owners and key executives in small businesses for their outstanding achievements and successes in their businesses and also their contributions to the nation.  SBA Assistant Administrator Fred Baldassaro told the winners:

“Your hard work, innovative ideas, and dedication to your community have helped you succeed. The SBA is pleased to recognize your achievements and your role in driving our nation’s economic growth.”

This year’s winners will be honored in Washington during National Small Business Week, on May 15-16, 2014.  A national-level Small Business Person of the Year winner will also be announced at that time.

Every year since 1963 the President has proclaimed a week as “National Small Business Week” and President Obama is expected to issue a similar proclamation.

This year’s winners include owners of technology companies, a tattoo business, construction businesses, consulting companies, and a brewery.  Here is a list of the 2014 winners — if you know any of them, be sure to congratulate them:

ALABAMA
Harvey Nix  – Proventix Systems, Inc.

ALASKA
Ginna Baldiviez  and John Baldiviez  – House of Bread, Anchorage

ARIZONA
Cynthia Miracle Reed – MIRACORP

ARKANSAS
John Michael Gueringer and Paul Arthur Reesnes  – Custom Aircraft Cabinets, Inc.

CALIFORNIA
Ricardo Robles, Pablo “Rene” Robles and Jacqueline Robles – Anita’s Mexican Food Corp.

COLORADO
Jan Erickson – Janska LLC

CONNECTICUT
Max Kothari and Parag Mehta – Express Countertops, Kitchen & Flooring LLC

DELAWARE
Marian R. Young and Mark A. Lannan – BrightFields, Inc.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
LaKeshia Grant  – Virtual Enterprise Architects

FLORIDA
Amir A. Varshovi – Green Technologies LLC

GEORGIA
Jusak Yan Bernhard and Jeffrey Allen Manley – TailsSpin

GUAM
Thomas Shieh, MD – Dr. Shieh’s Clinic

HAWAII
Dave Erdman – PacRim Marketing Group, Inc. & PR TechLLC

IDAHO
Gary B. Multanen, Susan A. Multanen, Megan L. Multanen and Jay M. Multanen – Best Bath Systems, Inc.

ILLINOIS
Elizabeth Colon – Metaphrasis Language & Cultural Solutions LLC

INDIANA
Mike Suth – Hoosier Spring Company, Inc.

IOWA
Mary Connell – Air Control, Inc.

KANSAS
Alex Harb – Ribbit Computers LLC

KENTUCKY
Tommy Ray Cornett – Bleed Blue Tattoo & Piercing, Inc.

LOUISIANA
Keith A. DuRousseau – Keiland Construction LLC

MAINE
Alan Spear and MaryAllen Lindeman – Coffee By Design

MARYLAND
Stephanie Novak Hau – Chesapeake Environmental Management, Inc.

MASSACHUSETTS
Valerie Bono, Maria Malloy, Eric Bresciani and Edwin Bresciani – Golden Cannoli

MICHIGAN
Michael O. Nevins – Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc.

MINNESOTA
Scott H. Warzecha – Netgain Technology, Inc.

MISSISSIPPI
Bhupender “Bruce” Ramesh Patel – Fusion Hospitality

MISSOURI
Nilson Goes, Ph.D. – Infinite Energy Construction, Inc.

MONTANA
W. Randall Hafer and  Janna Sue Hafer – High Plains Architects

NEBRASKA
Douglas Garwood and Scott Garwood – Garwood Enterprises, Inc. Dba Cardinal Farms

NEVADA
Jarrod Lopiccolo, Season Lopiccolo and Michael Thomas – Noble Studios

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Chris Licata – Blake’s All Natural Foods

NEW JERSEY
Kiran K. Gill – PARS Environmental, Inc.

NEW MEXICO
Michelle (Shelly) Herbst – Marron and Associates, Inc.

NEW YORK
Michael Allen – Z-Axis, Inc.

NORTH CAROLINA
Andrew Kratz and Joel Graybeal – Triangle Rock Club

NORTH DAKOTA
Dean Atchison – Spectrum Aeromed

OHIO
Michelle Therese Kerr – Oxford Consulting Group

OKLAHOMA
William Larry Mocha – APSCO, Inc.

OREGON
William Charles Taylor and Brook Ann Harvey-Taylor – Pacifica

PENNSYLVANIA
Michael Cherock – AE Works

PUERTO RICO
Eniel Torres-Ojeda – Productos La Finca, Inc.

RHODE ISLAND
Lisa Mattiello – Pranzi Catering & Events

SOUTH CAROLINA
Nancy Porter Ogburn – Tomato Palms LLC

SOUTH DAKOTA
Ryan McFarland – Strider Sports International, Inc.

TENNESSEE
Tracy Solomon – Tevet LLC

TEXAS
Gregory R. Hudson – Genesis Concepts & Consultants

UTAH
Sandeep Sharma – Global Consulting International, Inc.

VERMONT
William Cherry and Jeffrey Neiblum – Switchback Brewing Company

VIRGINIA
Kevin L. Knight – Knight Solutions

WASHINGTON
Fred Schule and Paul Clark – Cobalt Enterprises, Inc.

WEST VIRGINIA
Kenneth H. Allman II – Practice Link Ltd. & MountainPlex Properties

WISCONSIN
Thomas Jagemann and Ralph Hardt – Jagemann Stamping Company

WYOMING
Jennifer C. Merrill – Merrill, Inc.


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Anita Campbell Anita Campbell is the Founder, CEO and Publisher of Small Business Trends and has been following trends in small businesses since 2003. She is the owner of BizSugar, a social media site for small businesses.

6 Reactions
  1. Congratulations to all the winners! It’s great to see them getting recognized for their efforts.

  2. Well its a great initiative by SBA to recognize those people who have done well in their business scenario & have also helped many people to get employment, at the same time also benefitted country from revenue benefit point of view to. I too believe that recognition needs to be given to promote & motive young entrepreneurs to rise & shine.

  3. I am glad to see that some food companies made the list. It seems like the food industry is still okay despite the recession. They said that it will be the first to crumble down. But I guess the people who I have talked to are mistaken.

  4. I bet if we surveyed these award winning business owners most of them would be obsessed about talent. The ability to attract and retain good talent can be the critical factor for small business success. I outline how small business owners can become talent obsessed. http://executive-velocity.com/are-you-talent-obsessed/