Ron Lovato—CEO, TSAY Corporation and Pueblo Alliance, LLC (SBA National New Mexico Rural
Small Business of the Year) and Julianna Martinez-Barbee—SBDC Director NNMC, New Mexico Small Business Development Center. Courtesy photo
From left to right: Peter Fant, CEO of San Ildefonso Services; Daven Quintana, PMI Chief Operating Officer; Trish Alley, Small Business Advocate, LANL Small Business Program; Yvonne Gonzales, Small Business Program Manager, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Eric Quintana, CEO and Co-founder of PMI (SBA National New Mexico Small Business of The Year Award); Julianna Martinez-Barbee SBDC Director NNMC, New Mexico Small Business Development Center; Ron Lovato, CEO, TSAY Corporation and Pueblo Alliance, LLC (SBA National New Mexico Rural Small Business of the Year); Justin Crossie, SBA Region VI Regional Administrator; Larry Phillips Jr. COO Tsay Cooperation. Courtesy photo
SBDC News:
OHKAY OWINGEH — SBA National category award winner Ron Lovato, President of Pueblo Alliance LLC and CEO of TSAY Corp., has been honored as New Mexico’s Rural Owned Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration during National Small Business Week.
“Ron’s achievements with Pueblo Alliance as New Mexico’s Rural Owned Small Business of the Year, reflect both personal excellence and the powerful impact of small businesses across the state,” says Justin Crossie, SBA Region VI Regional Administrator. “Ron highlights the vital role small businesses play in strengthening local and rural communities.”
Pueblo Alliance LLC is a joint venture composed of two Native American Enterprise Development Corporations: Tsay Services and San Ildefonso Services. The company operates in four areas for TRIAD, the Los Alamos National Laboratory contractor: contingent labor-primary escort, bussing and parking enforcement, construction maintenance, and distribution center services.
“A key driver of Pueblo Alliance’s success—though not always immediately visible—has been TRIAD, LLC’s unwavering commitment to Northern New Mexico and its communities,” Ron Lovato says. “At the center of this commitment is the Espanola Valley, the economic and cultural heart of Northern New Mexico. Through its partnership with Pueblo Alliance, TRIAD has achieved in eight years a level of engagement and operational integration within the Española Valley that had remained largely unrealized during the previous 75 years of Los Alamos National Laboratory operations.”
“Among the accomplishments of which Pueblo Alliance is most proud is the advancement of third-party logistics capabilities in the Española Valley in direct support of TRIAD’s mission. Working collaboratively with SBDC Director Julianna Barbee at the Española Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Pueblo Alliance successfully identified suitable facilities, developed access to a qualified workforce, and leveraged critical business systems support necessary to build sustainable operational capacity.”
“These efforts have produced tangible results, helping to dispel the long-standing perception that the Española Valley lacked the capacity or capability to support Los Alamos National Laboratory contracting requirements. Today, the region is demonstrating its ability to serve as a valuable and growing contributor to the Laboratory’s mission while creating meaningful economic opportunities throughout Northern New Mexico.”
Since 2003, under Lovato’s leadership, TSAY has worked to diversify its business holdings. That effort led to the creation of TSAY Construction and Services LLC, a construction and maintenance company focused on providing services to Los Alamos National Laboratory. One of the company’s foundational achievements was winning the LANL custodial services contract through a competitive bid.
Pueblo Alliance began operations in 2022 and has helped create efficiencies in contracting while reducing a backlog of projects. The company has also played a significant role in the contingent labor contract and in 2022 provided more than 90 employees. Pueblo Alliance also participated successfully in the Department of Energy Mentor-Protégé agreement with TRIAD.
This relationship has evolved into a partnership intended to strengthen corporate capabilities and expand contracting capacity for future business development throughout LANL and the DOE/NNSA. Pueblo Alliance says it has achieved major goals that support both company growth and mission-critical functions for LANL and TRIAD.
The joint venture, formed between the Ohkay Owingeh and San Ildefonso tribes of Northern New Mexico, has made significant progress in job creation and economic development through strategic partnerships and innovative business practices. Lovato has focused on creating jobs in Northern New Mexico by partnering with local businesses and Pueblo enterprises.
The collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory is especially notable, supporting a distribution center that serves LANL while helping ensure workforce development remains a priority. That approach has helped create economic growth, strengthen community resilience and keep financial resources within the region.
Lovato said he continues to look for opportunities to build partnerships that meet business needs while creating jobs. He has also emphasized business diversification, helping Pueblo businesses expand their services and increase revenue streams.
By working across tribal and local business lines, Pueblo Alliance has helped expand visibility for TSAY and its partners while opening new doors to future opportunities. The company says its work has supported unity, collaboration, resilience and sustainability across Northern New Mexico.
Ron Lovato is all about business diversification. By engaging in partnerships, Pueblo businesses can diversify their service offerings, such as providing distribution centers or transportation services for LANL and LANL employees. Ron has partnered with local business partnerships such as Performance Maintenance Inc (PMI) and Hacienda Home Centers to fulfill contract needs for LANL. Together they combine skills, expertise, employee pull to create new jobs.
This has all lead to increased revenue streams and business sustainability. Ron continues to empower Native entrepreneurs to better compete in various markets and enhance operational capabilities.
Ron is also strengthening community bonds by supporting local businesses. LANL partnerships and contracts have increased the visibility of TSAY/Pueblo Alliance work together, which is opening new doors of new business opportunities.
Ron has contributed positively to the Pueblo community and Northern New Mexico businesses by fostering unity, partnerships, collaboration, resilience and sustainability. Ron sees a need and meets the need which creates more job opportunities.
About Pueblo Alliance LLC
Pueblo Alliance LLC is a partnership built to support federal contracting, workforce development and economic growth in Northern New Mexico through collaboration among tribal and local business partners.