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 and Puerto Rico. All of the winners have been invited to attend ceremonies in Washington, D.C on April 29-30 where they will be honored with their individual award along with special recognition of the three runners-up and the naming of the 2018 National Small Business Person of the Year.
“It is my honor and distinct pleasure to announce the 52 winners from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico,” McMahon said. “These small business owners define entrepreneurial spirit and best represent the 30 million small businesses that are the backbone and economic engine of our 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 29 – May 5.
After the national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. McMahon will continue National Small Business Week with a bus road show starting in Jacksonville, Fla. and then continue on to South Carolina and North Carolina. Each stop she will meet with small business owners, visit small businesses and hold roundtable discussions. Additionally, virtual events, recognition and educational opportunities throughout SBA’s 10 Regions and 68 Districts will be held throughout the week.
2018 STATE SMALL BUSINESS PERSONS OF THE YEAR
ALABAMA
Charles W. Underwood II
Owner
C & R Movers, LLC
Montgomery, AL 36110
ALASKA
Lori Brewer
President
Caffe D’arte Alaska/Alaska Coffee & Restaurant Equipment
Anchorage, AK 99518
ARIZONA
Dirck Theodor Schou
President and CEO
Catalina China, Inc.
Dba HF Coors
Tucson, AZ 85713
ARKANSAS
Joe Saumweber
Co-Founder & CEO
Michael Paladino
Co-Founder & CTO
RevUnit LLC
Bentonville, AR
CALIFORNIA
Matthew Cohen
Chief Executive Officer
Off the Grid Services, LLC
San Francisco, CA 94123
COLORADO
Margot Langstaff
Managing Partner – Marjority Owner
Elisa Jane Hamill
Managing Partner – Co-Owner
LifeHealth
Littleton, CO 80123
CONNECTICUT
April Marie Lukasik
President
Bright & Early Children’s Learning Centers
North Branford, CT 06471
DELAWARE
Kim Adams
President and CEO
Mountain Consulting, Inc.
Dover, DE 19904
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Denita R. Conway
President and CEO
PROVEN Management, LLC
Washington, DC 20001
FLORIDA
Michael Zaffaroni
Owner
Fernandina Mulch & Stone, LLC
Dba Liberty Landscape Supply
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
GEORGIA
Peter Andrews Dugas
President and CFO
Tonya Barr Dugas
CEO
Dusoul Company
Dba Technical Services Audio Visual
Athens, GA 30606
HAWAII
Reginald G. Perry
Managing Manager
Barbers Point Aviation Services, LLC
Kapolei, HI 96707
IDAHO
September Myres
President and CEO
Sundance Consulting, Inc.
Pocatello, ID 83201
ILLINOIS
Rebecca Fyffe
President
ABC Humane Wildlife Control & Prevention, Inc.
Dba Landmark Pest Mgmt
Schaumburg, IL 60173
INDIANA
Michele Durante Meyer
President and CEO
Creative Solutions Consulting, Inc.
(CSCI Consulting)
Indianapolis, IN 46216
IOWA
Bob Simpson, President
Big River Packaging
Clinton, IA 52732
KANSAS
David Sasson
President & CEO
OverstockArt.com
Wichita, KS 67211
KENTUCKY
Lesme Romero
Owner/Manager
EZ Foods, Inc.
Dba Lexington Pasta/Lexington Pasta Garage
Lexington, KY 40505
LOUISIANA
Keith Porta
Managing Member
APC Construction, LLC
Harvey, LA 70058
MAINE
Beth Shissler
President and COO
Donald Oakes
CEO
Sea Bags, LLC
Portland, ME 04101
MARYLAND
Tamara Michele Beideman
Owner
Elizabeth Jane, Inc.
Dba Sweet Elizabeth Jane
Ellicott City, MD 21043
MASSACHUSETTS
Joseph Melville
Gary Melville
Owners
Melville Candy Corporation
Randolph, MA 02368
MICHIGAN
Albert F. Zehnder
CEO
Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth, MI 48734
MINNESOTA
Brenda Kay Nolby
CEO
Jam Hops Gymnastics Factory, Inc.
Ham Lake, MN 55304
MISSISSIPPI
Barbara Alamsha
Tim Alamsha
Owners/Operators
Ear Candie Productions, LLC
Dba Rock U 2
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
MISSOURI
Melissa Ann Smith, DDS
Managing Dentist and Owner/Operator
Washington Smiles Complete Health Dentistry
Washington, MO 63090
MONTANA
Charles “Skip” King
Owner
King’s Ace Hardware
Billings, MT 59102
NEBRASKA
Mark Anthony Santo
Mark VII Enterprises, Inc.
Omaha, NE 68131
NEVADA
Medhi Zarhloul
Founder & CEO
Crazy Pita Rotisserie & Grill
Henderson, NV 89052
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mark Wentworth
President & CEO
Green View Technologies, Inc.
Rollinsford, NH 03869
NEW JERSEY
Richard C. Spanier
President and CEO
Rudolph Research Analytical
Hackettstown, NJ 07840
NEW MEXICO
Jasper Dutch Riddle
President/Winemaker
Noisy Water Winery & Cellars
Ruidoso, NM 88345
NEW YORK
Snehal (Raj) Dayanidham Thakkar
Founder & CEO
Charter School Business Management, Inc.
Dba FOREsight Financial Services for Good
New York, NY 10001
NORTH CAROLINA
Andrew Michael Matroni
Founder and CEO
Innovation Catering, Inc.
Dba Queen City Catering
Charlotte, NC 28208
NORTH DAKOTA
Kari Marie Weigel
Executive Director/Owner
Sylvan Learning Center
Bismarck, ND 58503
OHIO
David S. Nolan
President/CEO
Quality Control Services LLC
Cleveland, OH 44114
OKLAHOMA
Tracy Lynn Evans
Owner and CEO
Woodward Wellness Center, LLC
Woodward, OK 73801
OREGON
Matt Higgins
Owner
Coava Coffee Roasters, Inc.
Portland, OR 97214
PENNSYLVANIA
William A. Campbell
CEO
Water Treatment Services
Dba First Defense Operations Management
Monroeville, PA 15146
PUERTO RICO
Alex Gomez
President
Tijuana’s Bar & Grill Corp.
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00909
RHODE ISLAND
Kelly Beth Mendell
President
MIKEL, Inc.
Middletown, RI 02842
SOUTH CAROLINA
Ronald David McNeil
CEO
Hannah Solar Government Services
Charleston, SC 29492
SOUTH DAKOTA
Kevin Nyberg
President/CEO
Nyberg’s Ace Hardware, Inc.
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
TENNESSEE
Joseph Powers
Owner
Green Cube Solutions
Blountville, TN 37617
TEXAS
Von C. Washington Sr.
President and CEO
IDA Technology
El Paso, TX 79905
UTAH
Paul Casper Merrill
CEO/President
Casper’s Ice Cream, Inc.
Dba Fatboy Ice Cream, Inc.
Richmond, UT 84333
VERMONT
Sacha Mayer
CEO, Co-Founder
Christine Dodson
COO, Co-Founder
Mamava, Inc.
Burlington, VT 05401
VIRGINIA
David S. Kyle II
President/Chief Executive Officer
Trademasters Service Corporation
Lorton, VA 22079
WASHINGTON
Danny House
Owner
Dan The Sausageman
Burien, WA 98166
WEST VIRGINIA
Douglas Tate
President & CEO
Alpha Technologies, Inc.
Hurricane, WV 25526
WISCONSIN
Miles Harter
CEO
Curt Greeno
President
Dynamic Recycling
Onalaska, WI 54650
WYOMING
Tyler Reed Miller
President
Earth Work Solutions
Gillette, WY 82717
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and is 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, and recover from disasters. 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. To learn more about SBA, visit www.sba.gov.