Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet

SBA News:

• National Winner to be formally recognized in Washington, D.C., May 8

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, 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.

A panel is currently reviewing all the packages and a national winner and two runners-up will be selected and announced at a future date. The national winner will be recognized as the 2015 National Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration May 8 in Washington, D.C. 

“It is my pleasure and honor to announce the 54 winners. Competition was extremely keen across the nation for these prestigious awards,” Contreras-Sweet. “I couldn’t be any prouder than recognizing these outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners, they represent the backbone of our economy. Small businesses created nearly 2 million of the roughly 3 million private-sector jobs generated in 2014. More than 7 million of the 11 million jobs created during our recovery have been generated by startups and small enterprises.”

Each year since 1963, the president has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of National Small Business Week. This year National Small Business Week will be recognized May 4-8 with national events planned in Miami, Los Angeles, San Antonio, New York and Washington, D.C.

2015 Small Business Person of the Year Winners

ALABAMA

• Donna Coleman
• CEO/President
• Aetos Systems, Inc.

ALASKA          

• Renee L. Schofield     
• CEO   
• TSS, Inc.
• 2/2/2 SBPOY Winners

ARIZONA

• Michael T. Melton
• President/Owner
• ClearCall Solutions LLC

ARKANSAS

• Joel T. Johnson 
• President
• P.I. Roofing

CALIFORNIA

• Brian L. Milholland
• President
• Milholland Electric, Inc.

COLORADO

• Teresa L. Porter
• President & CEO
• ISYS Technologies

CONNECTICUT

• Michael Smulders
• President
• Garden of Light, Inc.
• Dba Bakery on Main

DELAWARE

• Joseph B. Winemiller
• President
• Greenleaf  Services, Inc.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

• Necole Parker
• CEO & Founder
• The ELOCEN Group LLC

FLORIDA

• Carol M. Craig
• Founder and CEO
• Craig Technologies

GEORGIA  

• Scott Soesbee
• CEO/Founder
• FlameOff Coatings, Inc.
• 3/3/3 SBPOY Winners

GUAM 

• Francis Kenney
• Co-Owner/Executive
• Timothy Murphy
• Co-Owner/Operations
• Jamaico, Inc.
• Dba Jamaican Grill

HAWAII

• Russell Ruderman
• President
• Island Naturals Market, Inc; Island Naturals Kona, Inc. and Island Naturals Pahoa, Inc.

IDAHO    

• Patrick Nauman
• Owner
• Weiser Classic Candy

ILLINOIS          

• John H. Griffin Jr.
• President/CEO
• AGB Investigative Services, Inc.
• Christopher Shane Conner
• Owner/President
• Advanced Technologies in Electrical & Communications, Inc.

IOWA

• Deb David
• CEO
• Sisters Homestyle Entrees

KANSAS

• Philip M. Brokenicky
• President/CEO
• New Horizons RV Corporation

KENTUCKY

• Scott L. Shinn
• President/CEO
• Sustainment Solutions, Inc.
• 4/4/4 SBPOY Winners

LOUISIANA    

• Todd Matherne
• CEO, Publisher
• Renaissance Publishing

MAINE

• Heidi V. Neal
• Owner
• Loyal Biscuit Co.

MARYLAND

• Sophia Parker
• CEO
• DS Federal, Inc.

MASSACHUSETTS

• Todd Snopkowski
• Founder and President
• Snapchef Culinary Training and Staffing

MICHIGAN

• Pat LeBlanc
• Chairman
• EBW Electronics, Inc.

MINNESOTA    

• James F. Kruse
• Co-Owner/Visionary
• Melissa M. Kelley
• Co-Owner/General Manager
• J.F. Kruse Jewelers

MISSISSIPPI   

• Willie A. O’Neal Jr.
• Derek Starling Sr.
• Principals
• SOL Engineering Services LLC

MISSOURI

• Alan R. Doan
• President
• Sarah B. Galbraith
• Board Director
• Missouri Star Quilt Company, Inc.
• 5/5/5 SBPOY Winners

MONTANA  

• Rich Naylor
• Founder and President
• My Handyman Service & Construction, Inc.

NEBRASKA  

• Scott Mueller
• President/CEO
• Samson LLC

NEVADA

• Chad McCullough
• President
• Elite Media, Inc.

NEW HAMPSHIRE   

• Scott Johnson
• President/CEO
• SOS Parts LLC
• Dba Certified Retail Solutions

NEW JERSEY 

• Michael Miqueli
• President/CEO
• San Antonio Broker Services, Inc.

NEW MEXICO

• Richard Jackson
• CEO/Founder
• American Document Services LLC

NEW YORK

• Charles Feit
• CEO
• OnForce Solar, Inc.

NORTH CAROLINA  

• Jeff B. Slosman
• President
• National Wiper Alliance

NORTH DAKOTA   

• Paula Klein
• Owner – Project Champion
• Smartt Interior Construction LLC
• 6/6/6 SBPOY Winners

OHIO

• Matt Fish
• Owner/President
• Melt Bar and Grilled, Inc.

OKLAHOMA    

• Brett Bain
• President/Co-Founder
• Brian Edwards
• President/Co-Founder
• FairWind LLC

OREGON   

• Robert W. Powell
• President/Owner
• Fab-Tech Manufacturing, Inc.

PENNSYLVANIA

• Joseph G. Zidik
• President and CEO
• Custom Milling & Consulting, Inc. (CMC)

PUERTO RICO

• Frank Medina-Rivera
• President & CEO
• Vita Natura

RHODE ISLAND  

• Christopher Ciunci
• CEO
• TribalVision LLC

SOUTH CAROLINA

• Melissa Allen Gladden
• President
• Carolina Recruitment LLC

SOUTH DAKOTA

• Sean M. Coffman
• Owner/CEO
• Carsforsale.com, Inc.

TENNESSEE

• Dr. Edward S. Glaser
• Founder & CEO
• Sole Supports, Inc.
• 7/7/7 SBPOY Winners

TEXAS

• David F. Shutler
• President & CEO
• Utility Systems Solutions, Inc.

UTAH

• Cory R. Robison
• CEO/Manager
• Stonehenge Care

VERMONT

• Monica A. Greene
• President & CEO
• Vermont Precision Tools

VIRGIN ISLANDS

• Linda Bailey
• Owner
• Soul Creations, Inc.

VIRGINIA  

• Paul T. Patterson
• CEO
• Generation Solutions Holdings, Inc.

WASHINGTON

• Lori J. Blades
• President/Founder
• Kids ‘N Us Early Learning Academy

WEST VIRGINIA   

• Jeannette Lee King
• President & CEO
• Strategic Resolution Experts, Inc.

WISCONSIN

• Daniel Sidner
• Owner
• Joseph Muench
• Chef/Owner
• Black Shoe Hospitality
• 8/8/8 SBPOY Winners

WYOMING   

• Jack Bedessem
• President/CEO
• Keith Marcott
• Executive Vice President
• Craig Carlson
• Vice President
• Trihydro Corporation