Press release 23-14

Administrator Guzman Announces 2023 State Small Business Persons of the Year

WASHINGTONAdministrator 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.

The 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.

2023 National Small Business Persons of the Year are:

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 

Arctic Compressor, LLC

Superior, WI 

Wyoming 

Rachel Kalenberg & Ariane Jimison 

Pizza Carrello 

Gillette, WY 

For additional information about this year’s Small Business Persons of the Year, please see here: https://www.sba.gov/document/report-2023-small-business-persons-year

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Co-sponsorship Authorization# 23-1-C The SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

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About National Small Business Week

For 60 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week recognizing the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business and create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. And in recognizing the changing face of America, the SBA’s National Small Business Week awards honor individuals and businesses that reflect our nation’s rich diversity.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Related programs: NSBW

Media contacts

U.S. Small Business Administration