The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced 2022’s Small Business Persons of the Year winners from each of the nation’s 50 states. The nation’s top entrepreneurs will formally be recognized on May 5 during National Small Business Week (NSBW) Awards Ceremony.
SBA Names 2022 Small Businesspersons of the Year
According to the SBA, the winners will be formally recognized on May 5 during the National Small Business Week (NSBW) that will run from May 1-7, 2022. This year’s NSBW theme, “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship,” highlights the resilience, ingenuity, and creativity of America’s 32.5 million small businesses.
2022 Small Business Person(s) of the Year
| State | Winner | Business | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Roland G. Brown | Brown Precision Inc. | Huntsville, AL |
| Arizona | Tracey Latham | Latham Industries, LLC | Phoenix, AZ |
| Arkansas | Jaim Krutz | Big Cuppa, LLC | Morrilton, AR |
| California | Hernán Luis y Prado | VetPowered, LLC | San Diego, CA |
| Colorado | Dr. Jen Questen | Aspen Park Vet Hospital | Confer, CO |
| Connecticut | Viron Rondos | Viron Rondo Osteria | Cheshire, CT |
| Delaware | Lisa M. St. Clair | Tailbangers Inc. | Millsboro, DE |
| District of Columbia | Eduardo F. Ortiz and Ashleigh Tara Nicole Axios | Coforma, LLC | Washington, D.C. |
| Florida | Dennis Chan | Blue Bamboo Canton Bistro & Bar | Jacksonville, FL |
| Georgia | Ardina T. Pierre | Nature’s Own Herb Shop, Inc. | Atlanta, GA |
| Hawaii | Scott E. Loomer | Truss Systems Hawaii Inc. | Puunene, HI |
| Idaho | Marcella Medor | MarCom, LLC | Idaho Falls, ID |
| Illinois | Chris Ginder and Mary Ginder | Gindo’s Spice of Life, LLC | St. Charles, IL |
| Indiana | Donte Lamar Wilburn | Premier Unlimited, LLC | Lafayette, IN |
| Iowa | Kimberly Baeth | Golden Openings, Inc. | Urbandale, Iowa |
| Kansas | Daniel J. Smoots and Janeice E. Smoots | Fanestil Meats | Emporia, KS |
| Kentucky | Alejandro Ramirez | Universal Spartan, LLC | Vine Grove, KY |
| Louisiana | Craig A. Stevens | Genesis 360 LLC | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Maine | Tyler A. Frank | Garbage to Garden | Portland Silver |
| Maryland | Tarandeep Singh Bawa | ITegrity, Inc. | Spring, MD, ME |
| Massachusetts | Gregory Acerra | Fireking Baking Company | Braintree, MA |
| Michigan | Tarolyn Buckles | Onyx Enterprises, Inc. | Detroit, MI |
| Minnesota | Kristen Marie Denzer | Tierra Encantada | Minneapolis, MN |
| Mississippi | Lesia Daniel-Hollingshead and William Walter Daniel Jr. | Funtime Afterschool of Clinton, Inc. | Clinton, MS |
| Missouri | Jennifer Garrett Hart | Hartline Construction, LLC | Kansas City, MO |
| Montana | Natalie R. Van Dusen and Danielle J. Newell | Treeline Coffee Roasters | Bozeman, MT |
| Nebraska | Taylor Korensky, Jade Jensen and Spencer Robinson | Appsky | Omaha, NE |
| Nevada | Andrea Vigil | Allegiant Electric LLC | Las Vegas, NV |
| New Hampshire | Sara B. Nadeau | Carriage Hill Assisted Living | Madbury, NH |
| New Jersey | Beverly Zaccherio | Senior Solutions for the Jersey Shore LLC | Point Pleasant, NY |
| New Mexico | Joy Colucci | Metis Technology Solutions, Inc. | Albuquerque, NM |
| New York | Steven Olschewski | Clubhouse Fun Center | Rochester, NY |
| North Carolina | Kristen M. Hess, AIA | HH Architecture | 1100 Dresser Court Raleigh, NC |
| North Dakota | Sylvia Lunski | Design Direction Inc. | Fargo, ND |
| Ohio | Laura Licursi | Elite Virtual Assistants | Strongsville, OH |
| Oklahoma | John Adam Oglesbee | Warfeather, LLC | Coweta, OK |
| Oregon | Kevin and Angie Shaw | Brightways Counseling Group, LLC | Redmond, OR |
| Pennsylvania | John Martincic | Forest Scientific Corporation | Tionesta, PA |
| Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands | Carlos Cosme Marrero | JK Logistic Transport Inc. | Toa Baja, PR |
| Rhode Island | Byron Sheldon Delmonico | The Riddle Room, LLC | North Scituate, RI |
| South Carolina | Ann Son | Holy City Linen Services | North Charleston, SC |
| South Dakota | Karla Deann Santi | Blend Interactive, Inc. | Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
| Tennessee | Robert Scott Underwood | Maxwell Industries, LLC | Athens, TN |
| Texas | Denise Navarro | Logical Innovations, Inc. | Houston, TX |
| Utah | Lucy Cardenas and Bill Coker | Red Iguana | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Vermont | Vicky Allard and Joe Hanglin | Blake Hill Preserves | Windsor, VT |
| Virginia | Jeri Dee Prophet | Intellectechs, Inc. | Virginia Beach, VA |
| Washington | Efrem Fesaha | Boon Boona Coffee | Seattle, WA |
| West Virginia | Jill Rae Scarbro | Bright Futures Learning Services | Winfield, WV |
| Wisconsin | David Heide | Liliana’s Restaurant | Fitchburg, WI |
| Wyoming | Lena Dirck | The Aspen House Restaurant | Rawlins, WY |
Celebrating American Entrepreneurship
More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. Since 1963, NSBW has been recognizing the contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Over 10 awards are up for grabs among small businesses in various categories during the National Small Business Week Awards. Nominations for the awards closed on January 11, 2022.
“Entrepreneurs are innovators and creators at their core, delivering the products and services we depend on and making our neighborhoods, towns, and cities more vibrant places to live and work. They give their all to achieve their American dream of business ownership and, by doing so, advance America’s economy and global competitiveness”, said Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the SBA.
Image: SBA
