Success Stories

Minority-Owned Business Named Minority Small Business Person of the Year

Tom A. Chacon, owner of Boring Machine Corporation, Fridley, has been named Minnesota Minority Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The award recognizes Chacon for excellence in his field, demonstrated leadership, and community involvement.

Boring Machine Corporation is a minority-owned company providing precision machine parts for medical, aerospace, general aviation, and the defense industry. They machine build customized designs of medium to complex parts made from all alloys and plastics. Their major customer is Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

Boring Machine has the technology, systems and capabilities to be a full service supplier to industries needing custom, high quality precision machining. Boring Machine Corporation’s track record in supplying the Aircraft and Aerospace Industries demonstrate its excellence and commitment to quality. Boring Machines system can handle the documentation and traceability requirement... Read More

Woman-owned Business Receives Help from SCORE, Achieves High Growth
Making Dreams Come True

Stacey Stratton, executive recruiter and owner of True Talent Group, a sales recruitment company based out of Apple Valley, recently turned a lifelong dream and guidance from SCORE into a thriving enterprise with limitless opportunities.

After working in the industry for six years, Stratton had a strong desire to break out and start her own company. An internet search for “small business help” put Stratton in touch with a counselor from her local SCORE office. “Our team provided resources that helped Stacey overcome her concerns regarding how to start a company, develop a solid business plan and put the basics in place to kick-off her recruiting business.,” says SCORE counselor Greg Boettner.

Stratton attended several seminars offered by her local SCORE office, and with help from the Business Planning Center, diligently chipped away at a working business plan. The results are undisputed: sales at True Talent Group in 2008 were... Read More

Edgardo Rodriguez, Business Consultant at the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA), has been named the Minnesota Minority Small Business Champion of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The Minority Small Business Champion award is presented annually in each state to individuals who assist small businesses through outstanding advocacy efforts on behalf of minority-owned small businesses. Yvonne Cheung Ho, President and CEO of MEDA, nominated Rodriguez for this award.

After decades of working in the corporate sector in senior positions, Rodriguez joined MEDA in 2002 as a consultant and has utilized his wealth of knowledge and resources to benefit the small business community. His specialties include coaching, analyzing complex and challenging business opportunities for growth, mergers and acquisitions, negotiations, document review, certifications and day-to-day business management issues.

George Jacobson, director of... Read More

Thomas H. Koopmeiners, Small Business Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has been named the Minnesota Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year for the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The Veterans Small Business Champion Award is presented annually in each state to individuals who have fulfilled a commitment to advancing small business opportunities for Veterans of the U.S. armed forces. Sherri Komrosky, Program Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), nominated Tom for this award.

Koopmeiners has been the Saint Paul District’s small business program manager since 2002 and a Corps’ employee since 1998, when he started as a contracting officer. As the small business program manager, Koopmeiners assists small businesses in obtaining government contracts.

Under Koopmeiners management, the district exceeded its small business goals for two years in a row, as well as ranked third in the nation, Corps-wide for... Read More

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