Karen Friel Announces West Virginia District Awards
WASHINGTON – Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s 33 million small businesses, announced today the 2023 Small Business Persons of the Year from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. In addition, Karen Friel, SBA West Virginia district director, announces other West Virginia district level award winners.
National:
The national winners will be recognized on Sunday, April 30 and Monday, May 1 during the National Small Business Week awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. At the event, one of the state/territory winners will be announced as the 2023 National Small Business Person of the Year.
“Our 2023 State Small Business Persons of the Year have given their all to achieve their American dream — to own and build a strong, resilient business; create jobs; increase competition and innovation and power America’s historic economic recovery,” said Administrator Guzman. “These incredible entrepreneurs show the vibrancy and grit of our nation’s small businesses. From Main Street to manufacturing hubs and tech centers, they are powering our economy. We hope their stories inspire and motivate the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
National Small Business Week will be held from April 30-May 6, 2023. For more information about NSBW, please visit www.sba.gov/nsbw.
District:
The West Virginia district winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 3 at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont, WV. “The West Virginia economy depends so much on small businesses,” said Karen Friel. “I look forward to taking the opportunity to honor some of the best of the best at our awards ceremony this spring.”
In addition to the West Virginia Small Business Person of the Year, listed below, the West Virginia District Office recognizes the following district awards:
Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year
Anne Perella
A & J Sewing Studio LLC
Morgantown, WV
Nominated by: Sharon Stratton & Frank Goldsborough, SBDC
Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year
Angie Cowger
Custard Stand Chili (CSC)/ The Custard Stand (TCS)
Webster Springs, WV
Nominated by: Crystal Dempsey, From the Hip Communications
*District Small Business Exporter of the Year and Lender award winners to be announced at a later date.
| 2023 National Small Business Persons of the Year are: |
| State | Awardee(s) | Name of Business | City/State |
| West Virginia | Anthony & Heather Wheeler* | Paris Signs (click link for bio – pg. 20) |
Huntington, WV |
*Nominated by Doug Harper, WV SBDC
| State | Awardee(s) | Name of Business | City/State |
| Alabama | Daryl Thomas | Thomas Accounting & Income Tax Service, LLC | Selma, AL |
| Alaska | Amie Sommer | Tutka, LLC | Wasilla, AK |
| Arizona | Jonathan Woodruff | ORSA Technologies, LLC | Scottsdale, AZ |
| Arkansas | Sean Beavers | Graylee Construction and Demolition, LLC | Austin, AR |
| California | Jared Malapit, Erik Wright, & Karl Vaillancourt | Precision Construction Services | San Luis Obispo, CA |
| Colorado | Amy Carnrick | Foster Plumbing | Denver, CO |
| Connecticut | Dennis Nash | Control Station, Inc. | Manchester, CT |
| Delaware | Jonathan Urquhart, Monika Urquhart, & Andreas Janke | Bavarian Bakery and Deli | Dover, DE |
| District of Columbia | Lonye Ford & Arlene Wube | Arlo Solutions | Washington, DC |
| Florida | Karina Doracio & Luis Contreras | AmePower | Miami, FL |
| Georgia | Ken Taunton | The Royster Group, Inc. | Atlanta, GA |
| Hawaii | Jonathan Montalbo | Aloha Termite & Pest Control | Kapolei, HI |
| Idaho | Taveesak “Dang” Chanthasuthisombut | Dang’s Thai Cuisine & Sushi Bar | Hailey, ID |
| Illinois | Kathleen McShane | Begin Within Therapy Services, PC | Chicago, IL |
| Indiana | Haskell D. Portee | Professional Management Enterprises | Indianapolis, IN |
| Iowa | Aaron Warner | ProCircular, Inc. | Coralville, IA |
| Kansas | Jordan Michael Harris | Harris Dream Clean, LLC | Wichita, KS |
| Kentucky | David Dafoe | Flavorman | Louisville, KY |
| Louisiana | Karen Williams | NOLA Steele Fabrication & Erection, LLC | Harvey, LA |
| Maine | Carolyn Delaney | Journey Magazine | Portland, ME |
| Maryland | Lois Gamerman | Soft Stuff Distributors, Inc. | Jessup, MD |
| Massachusetts | Kelly & Jim Sullivan | Millennium Press | Agawam, MA |
| Michigan | Todd Lotzer | Prime Packaging Solutions | Livonia, MI |
| Minnesota | Abdirahman Kahin | Afro Deli & Grill | St Paul, MN |
| Mississippi | Nick Wallace | Nick Wallace Culinary | Jackson, MS |
| Missouri | Luis Allan Arias | Compass Roofing, LLC | Kansas City, MO |
| Montana | Neli & Dimitar Nikolov | The Corral Burger and Lodge | Gardiner, MT |
| Nebraska | Rachel Daly | Innovative Rx | Kearney, NE |
| Nevada | Juanny Romero | Mothership Coffee Roasters | Las Vegas, NV |
| New Hampshire | Nancy and John Wilbur | Wilbur Technical Services | Mont Vernon, NH |
| New Jersey | Lauren Borawski | Child’s Play Challenge Courses | Scotch Plains, NJ |
| New Mexico | Chauling “Lynn” Armijo | Four Winds Mechanical HTC/AC, Inc. | Albuquerque, NM |
| New York | Joshua Schmieder | JOSH Landscape Co. | Honeoye Falls, NY |
| North Carolina | Michael McWhorter | Mojotone | Burgaw, NC |
| North Dakota | Matthew & Jesse Faul | Red E, LLC | Fargo, ND |
| Ohio | Jeanna Hondel | Ascension Construction Solutions | Columbus, OH |
| Oklahoma | Mike Bausch | Andolini’s Worldwide | Tulsa, OK |
| Oregon | Lisa Schroeder | Mother’s Bistro & Bar | Portland, OR |
| Pennsylvania | Melinda Nearhoof | Annie’s Flooring and Commercial Services | Meadville, PA |
| Puerto Rico | Carlos E. Bonilla-Colon | DUI, Inc. | Guayama, PR |
| Rhode Island | Craig Pickell | Bullard Abrasives, Inc. | Lincoln, RI |
| South Carolina | Jennifer Megliore | ArtWare, Inc. | Hilton Head Island, SC |
| South Dakota | Denise Cotter & Michelle Marino | Houndstooth House, LLC | Sioux Falls, SD |
| Tennessee | Dr. Jonathan Scott Huitink | Compass Pediatrics | Gallatin, TN |
| Texas | Brandi Harleaux | South Post Oak Recycling Center | Houston, TX |
| Utah | David D. Mineer, Jr. | Construction Monitor, LLC | Cedar City, UT |
| Vermont | Christopher and Cortney Keene | Keene Perspectives | White River Junction, VT |
| Virginia | Sharon Hamer | Akiak Technology | Alexandria, VA |
| Washington | Jennifer Weddermann | Weddermann Architecture | Tacoma, WA |
| West Virginia | Anthony & Heather Wheeler | Paris Signs | Huntington, WV |
| Wisconsin | Steven, Peggi, & Chuck Potter < |
| Release Date: March 14, 2023 | Contact: nikki.bowmar@sba.gov |
| Release Number: 23-14 | Follow SBA on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram |
