SBA Administrator Honors Nation's Top Small Businesses

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Administrator Linda McMahon, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced today this year's Small Business Person of the Year winners from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All of the winners have been invited to attend ceremonies in Washington, D.C on April 30 – May 1 where they will be honored with their individual award along with recognition of the three runners-up and the naming of the 2017 National Small Business Person of the Year. 

"It is my honor and distinct pleasure to announce the 54 winners from across the U.S. and its territories," McMahon said. "These small business owners define entrepreneurial spirit and best represent the 28 million small businesses that are the backbone and economic engine for today's economy. I look forward to welcoming the winners to Washington next month when they are officially honored for their achievements."

Each year since 1963, the president has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of National Small Business Week.  National Small Business Week is set as the first week in May, and this year the dates are April 30 – May 6 with national events planned in Washington, D.C., New York City, Indianapolis, Dallas and Fresno, Calif.

2017 Small Business Person of the Year Winners

ALABAMA

Jodie Ray Stanfield  
Owner
Local Joe's Trading Post
Rainbow City, AL 35906

ALASKA

David McCarthy 
CEO
Jason Motyka
CFO
Denali Visions 3000
Denali Park, AK 99755

ARIZONA

Vickie Herd
Manager
Extended Family Disability Services, LLC/Bella Rose
Chandler, AZ 85286

ARKANSAS            

Victoria A. Washington 
President
Vision Information Technology Consultants LLC    
Little Rock, AR 72204

CALIFORNIA

Lars Christopher Herman
President
Herman Construction Group, Inc.
Escondido, CA 92029

COLORADO

Lorena P. Cantarovici
Owner
Maria Empanada
Denver, CO 80210

CONNECTICUT

Carla Bartolucci 
President 
Euro-USA Trading Co., Inc.
North Stonington, CT 06359

DELAWARE

Donna L. Vanderwende 
Owner
Vanderwende Farm Creamery
Bridgeville, DE 19933

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Robert W. Dozier Jr.
President & CEO
RWD Consulting, LLC
Washington, DC 20036

FLORIDA

Paul Morrow
President
South Dave Air Conditioning and
  Refrigeration
Homestead, FL 33033

GEORGIA

Kevin B. Boykin
CEO
Path-Tec, LLC
Midland, GA 31820

GUAM

Derrick Muna Quinata                                                           
CEO/Dealer Principal
Monster Auto Corp.
Dba Guam Autospot
Hagatna, Guam 96932

HAWAII

Garrett Marrero 
President & CEO
Melanie Oxley
Vice President & COO
Maui Brewing Company
Kihei, HI 96753

IDAHO

Eric L. Browning
CEO, Owner and Manager 
Steven J. Browning
CFO, Co-Owner
Blue Spring Partners, LLC
Dba Fin Fun
Idaho Falls, ID 83401

ILLINOIS

Sonat Birnecker Hart
President
Robert Birnecker
CEO
Koval, Inc.
Dba Koval Distillery, Inc.
Chicago, IL 60613

INDIANA

Joey Rivera, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Rivera Consulting Group
A Highway 311
Sellersburg, IN 47172

IOWA

Benny Duane Puck
President 
Puck Custom Enterprises, Inc.
Manning, IA 51455

KANSAS

Ken Bellesine
Owner
Central Electropolishing Co., Inc.
Anthony, KS 67003

KENTUCKY

Debra Dudley
President
Oscarware, Inc.
Bonnieville, KY 42713

LOUISIANA

Alejandro (Alex) Hernandez
President
Hernandez Consulting & Construction
New Orleans, LA 70119

MAINE

Leigh S. Kellis
Founder/Owner
The Holy Donut
Portland, ME 04101

MARYLAND

Kara DiPietro
CEO
HMC Incorporated 
Columbia, MD 21046

MASSACHUSETTS

Victoria Bondoc
President & CEO
Gemini Industries, Inc.
Burlington, MA 01803

MICHIGAN

Jon Lanning
President, Finance
Inontime, LLC
Zeeland, MI 49464

MINNESOTA

Shirley Joann Wikner
CEO
Aviation Charter and Executive Aviation
Eden Prairie, MN 55347

MISSISSIPPI

Mary J. Russell                                                                       
President and Founder
Sugaree's Bakery
New Albany, MS 38652

MISSOURI

Phillip Cohen
Founder and President
Cohen Architectural Woodworking
Saint James, MO 65559

MONTANA

Mark Bretz
CEO and Chairman of the Board
Bretz RV and Marine
Missoula, MT 59808

NEBRASKA

Cody C. Brooks
Owner
Chrystal Brooks
Co-Owner
White River Feed, LLC
Chadron, NE 69337

NEVADA

Dr. Eva D. Littman
Owner
Littman Medical Services, PC
dba Red Rock Fertility
Sunset Surgery Center, LLC
Las Vegas, NV 89148

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Jake Reder
CEO
Celdara Medical, LLC
Lebanon, NH 03766

NEW JERSEY

Dr. Lisa Aumiller
Dr. Lisa Aumiller, LLC
Dba HousePaws Mobile Veterinary Service
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054

NEW MEXICO

Mario Burgos
President & CEO
David Burgos
Vice President 
Burgos Group LLC
Albuquerque, NM 87114

NEW YORK

Pamela Newman
CEO
ISS Action
Queens, NY 11434

NORTH CAROLINA

Michelle Coffino
Owner
Queen City Metal Recycling & Salvage, LLC
2800 North Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28206

NORTH DAKOTA

Eric Mauch
CEO
Carla Dean Schwartzenberger
Razor Consulting Solutions, Inc.
 & Razor Tracking, Inc.
Watford City, ND 58854

OHIO

Robert Chapman Kocian
President
The Auto Bolt Company
Cleveland, OH 44135

OKLAHOMA

Melinda Stinnett
Managing Director
Stinnett & Associates
Tulsa, OK 74137

OREGON

Brandon James Vaughn
President
All-Clean Property Maintenance LLC
Troutdale, OR 97060

PENNSYLVANIA

Elvin Eugene Stoltzfus
President
Pik Rite, Inc.
Lewisburg, PA 17837

PUERTO RICO

Victor Miguel Rivera Solanas
President
Maria Paula Rivera Solanas
Vice President
Atencion Atencion
San Juan, PR 00926

RHODE ISLAND

Gary M. Palardy
President and CEO
Blue Moon Industries
Providence, RI 02908

SOUTH CAROLINA

Vickie Wyatt
President
J.I.T. Manufacturing
Cowpens, SC 29330

SOUTH DAKOTA

Beth Hanna
Owner/Director
Building Blocks Childcare and Learning Center, LLC
Brandon, SD 57005

TENNESSEE

Dan LeVan
CEO
SED, Inc.
Dba EnerG3
Chattanooga, TN 37405     

TEXAS

Deborah Paris
President and Manager
StraCon Services Group, LLC
Fort Worth, TX 76109

UTAH

Stefanie Bevans
CEO
Joshua Bevans
CTO
Design To Print, Inc.
St. George, UT 84770

VERMONT

Michael Lawrence Rainville
President
Maple Landmark, Inc.
Middlebury, VT 05753

VIRGINIA

Corliss Udoema
President & CEO
Contract Solutions, Inc.
Manassas, VA 20109

VIRGIN ISLANDS

Kevin Joseph Schnell
Owner/Operator
Maya Alissa Matthews-Sterling                                             
Owner/Manager
Caribbean Solar Company LLC
St. John, VI 00830

WASHINGTON

Rozanne Garman
President
RHD Enterprises, Inc.                                                           
Lacey, WA 98503

WEST VIRGINIA

Matthew Paul Knott
President & CEO
River Riders, Inc. and Clarion Inn Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

WISCONSIN

Kristina Pence-Dunow
President & CEO
Double K, Inc.,
Dba Hometown Trolley, Inc.
Crandon, WI 54520

WYOMING

Janie Celeste Wait
President
Intermountain Record Center, Inc.
3765 Airport Parkway
Casper, WY 82604

About the Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.  The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses.  Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. www.sba.gov

Release Number: 17-12

Contact:  Terry Sutherland 202-205-6919 
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
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SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

Related Links

http://www.sba.gov