Retired US Air Force Disabled Veteran Diversifies into Entrepreneurial Success

Mayfield Evans was born in a small, rural Alabama town during a time when opportunities for advancement were rather limited. He married his high school sweetheart, Willie Mae, joined the Air Force and set out to make their dreams come true. Fifty-one years later, now proud Alaskans, Mayfield and Willie Mae have not only built several family businesses, but they also give back to the community and provide inspiration to the youth of their community through several different philanthropic organizations.

Toward the end of 27 years of active duty in the US Air Force in the service and supply areas, which encompassed laundry, dry-cleaning, base exchanges and commissary, and food service billeting, Mayfield and his son formed E & S Diversified Services in 1980. Initially, the company concentrated on providing janitorial services to federal, state, and local government units along with private contracts. After Evans retired from the Air Force, the company began to diversify into providing more specialty services including food service, warehousing and shelf stocking, janitorial, carpet cleaning, laundry, and hospital housekeeping. Evans soon ran into difficulties acquiring federal contracts so he turned to the US Small Business Administration for help. With the assistance of Karen Forsland at the SBA he applied and was accepted into the SBA’s 8-A Business Development Program. A successful graduate of the 8-A program Evans commented “We certainly wouldn’t be here to today if it wasn’t for the SBA. The SBA provided us with the tools and training that we needed to succeed. The contracting assistance helped us better understand how to go about finding government work in other states.” Under the E & S umbrella, Evans decided to expand and developed four additional companies, Two-Step Movers, Food Service Contracting, Mayfield Quality Cleaners, and Janitorial Services. In 1993 SBA once again was there to assist Evan’s with his growth providing a 7A Guaranteed loan to purchase an existing cleaning business. Today, Evans’ five businesses employ over 200 people all around Alaska. Along with providing valuable services, Evans also strives to use his businesses to reach people who need a chance to demonstrate their value and be productive members of the work force. He employs people with disabilities and those who have been incarcerated.

In addition to leading his various businesses, Evans serves on committees for the Employment and Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities and he is the Vice-president and Chairperson of Veteran Affairs for the NAACP, Anchorage Chapter. In 1996, he was named Outstanding Volunteer in Philanthropy for his involvement youth, homeless people, churches, and other non-profits in the Anchorage area. His work with organizations such as the YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Healthy Family, Mountain View Concerned Citizens, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Anchorage all demonstrate is deep interest in promoting the welfare of others and aiding the betterment of life and the spirit of hope for members of his community. His ability to bring diverse groups of people and various agencies together shows how the power of focused, positive energy contributes greatly to the welfare of everyone in the community and enable Evans to inspire those around him with his positive energy, strong work ethic, and vision.