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Small Business

SBA Names the Nation’s Top Small Businesses for 2015

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

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The head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Maria Contreras-Sweet, has announced the 2015 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 this year in Washington, D.C., May 8. 

“It is my pleasure and honor to announce the 54 winners.  Competition was extremely keen across the nation for these prestigious awards. 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,” said Contreras-Sweet.

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 from 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.

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.

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.       

INDIANA
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.

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.

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

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.

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

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