WASHINGTON – 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.
2 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
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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