SBA honors top Indiana entrepreneurs and resource partner organizations with National Small Business Week awards

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) celebrates National Small Business Week May 4 – 10 highlights small businesses embodying the American dream

INDIANAPOLIS — Local entrepreneur Sudhansu (Sam) Yadav is the winner of this year’s SBA Indiana District Office Small Business Person of the Year award.  Yadav owns Quest Safety Products, Inc., a leading distributor and manufacturer of industrial safety supplies and PPE. 

“SBA is pleased to recognize Sam Yadav as the 2025 Indiana Small Business Person of the Year,” said SBA Indiana District Director Stacey Poynter.  “Sam is a long-time Indiana business owner who has leveraged SBA programs to grow his personal protective equipment (PPE) business, strengthen the state’s manufacturing sector, create jobs, and bolster Indiana’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

Quest Safety Products, Inc opened in 1997 in Fishers.  On the advice of one of his long-time clients, and with the help of SBA-backed 504 loans, Yadav moved, building new headquarter facilities in a HUBZone near Indianapolis Airport in 2022.  This allowed him to leverage HUBZone certification opportunities, increasing sales by over 300% and creating close to 40 jobs for residents living in the historically challenged area.

“Winning the SBA Indiana Small Business Person of the Year award is an incredible honor and a deeply meaningful milestone in my entrepreneurial journey,” said Yadav.  “It reflects the hard work, resilience, and dedication that have shaped Quest Safety Products.”

“This recognition highlights Quest’s commitment to giving back,” Yadav continues.  “By being headquartered in an SBA HUBZone, we’ve prioritized hiring from our community, creating career opportunities, and reinvesting in local businesses to contribute to a stronger economic future. This award fuels our commitment to continue serving our customers, supporting our team, and strengthening the community . I’m incredibly proud of what Quest has achieved, and I’m excited to keep building on our foundation.”

Yadav is currently competing to win the SBA’s national Small Business Person of the Year title.  That award will be announced by the SBA during National Small Business Week at ceremonies in Washington D.C.

In addition to the SBA Indiana Small Business Person of the Year, SBA is also recognizing an iconic East Chicago manufacturer as SBA Great Lakes Exporter of the Year.  For over a century, El Popular Inc. has been a staple in Mexican food manufacturing and their signature chorizo can be found in grocery stores and restaurants around the world.  Third-generation owner Edward Garza took the helm of his family’s company in 2002, streamlining product lines, building a USDA-certified meat facility, and taking what was once a small regional business and turning it into a go-to national brand, with international distribution throughout Canada and Mexico, and plans for expansion into the Japanese, Australian, and South Korean Markets.  After winning the SBA Indiana Exporter of the Year competition, El Popular moved on to compete for the Great Lakes prize - taking the top spot over winning exporters from the six-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.  

Garza and Yadav will be recognized at a luncheon in downtown Indianapolis May 9th along with two Indiana-based resource partner organizations.  The Central Indiana Women's Business Center, located at the Indy Chamber in Indianapolis won the SBA Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award at the Indiana and Great Lakes Region levels, and the Southwest Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC), located at the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership, won the SBA Indiana SBDC Excellence and Innovation Award. 

For more than 60 years, the SBA has celebrated National Small Business Week, which acknowledges the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.  This year, events and celebrations take place across the country and include a small business roadshow with SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler; a two-day virtual summit; community events and educational sessions about manufacturing, digital marketing, cybersecurity and cryptocurrency; as well as online business resources and renowned speakers.

National Small Business Week details, the virtual summit, registrations, and speakers are featured on the SBA website.  For more information on how the SBA can help you ignite your small business dreams, go to Indiana .

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and 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.