Top Entrepreneurs to be formally recognized on May 5 during National Small Business Week Awards Ceremony
WASHINGTON – Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced the 2022 Small Business Persons of the Year winners from each of the nation’s 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The winners will be formally recognized on May 5 during the National Small Business Week (NSBW) Virtual Summit’s Awards Ceremony, May 2-5. This year’s NSBW theme, “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship,” highlights the resilience, ingenuity, and creativity of these award winners who, like millions of small businesses, have navigated challenges from the pandemic and contributed to our nation’s economic comeback.
“I am delighted to recognize our National Small Business Week winners from across the country who have stepped up to build their businesses, create jobs, and power historic recovery over the past year,” Administrator Guzman said. “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. Our 2022 award winners represent the vibrancy and resiliency of our nation’s 32.5 million small businesses, and I look forward to celebrating these small business giants and the positive impact they have had on lives and livelihoods in communities all across America.”
National Small Business Week will be observed May 1-7, 2022. It will celebrate our small businesses, provide critical resources and recognize SBA partners for their support in providing startups and small business owners with counseling and advice, skills development, disaster preparedness and recovery, as well as access to capital, government contracting, and market opportunities to start, grow and build resilient businesses.
About National Small Business Week For more than 60 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. 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. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. To register for National Small Business Week and for other event information, visit www.sba.gov/NSBW.
Co-sponsorship Authorization# 22-1-C. The SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
2022 State and Territory Small Business Person(s) of the Year
| 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 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 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 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, ME |
| Maryland Tarandeep Singh Bawa ITegrity, Inc. Silver Spring, MD |
| 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 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 Danielle J. Newell Treeline Coffee Roasters Bozeman, MT |
| Nebraska Taylor Korensky Jade Jensen 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 Bill Coker Red Iguana Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Vermont Vicky Allard 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 |
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
