CHARLESTON — Winners of the 2018 West Virginia Small Business Administration (WV SBA) Small Business Week Award were honored during an event Wednesday in the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center, Fairmont.
The awards are part of the celebration of 2018 National Small Business Week, April 29-May 5.
Many of the honorees recognized by the WV SBA are clients of the West Virginia Small Business Center (WV SBDC).
“The WV SBDC team had phenomenal nominations again this year,” said District Director Karen Friel, West Virginia District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration. “The SBDC business coaches work hard to help our West Virginia small businesses and entrepreneurs and it shows in the successes they’ve achieved.”
The 2018 clients and nominees of the WV SBDC recognized as regional and district-level award winners are:
Region III winners
Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: Arria Hines — Allegheny Science & Technology Corporation, Bridgeport, Harrison County
Small Business Subcontractor of the Year: Jayachandra (Jay) Reddy — NextGen Federal Systems, LLC, Morgantown, Monongalia County
Small Business Exporter of the Year: Paul Diserio — American Muscle Docks & Fabrication, LLC, Wellsburg, Brooke County, Client of WV SBDC Business Coach Sharon Stratton at West Virginia University (WVU) Center
District winners
Small Business Person of the Year: Douglas Tate — Alpha Technologies, Inc., Hurricane, Putnam County, Client of WV SBDC Business Coach Terry Cyfers at Charleston Center
Family-Owned Small Business of the Year: Cason & Bill Edwards — RKE Corporation, St. Marys, Pleasants County, Client of WV SBDC Business Coach Marsa Myers at WVU Parkersburg Center
Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year: Michael Paul McKechnie — Mountain View Solar, Berkeley Springs, Morgan County, Client of WV SBDC Business Coach Mary Hott at Eastern Panhandle Center
Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: Kimberly Baker — River and Rail Bakery, Huntington, Cabell County, Client of WV SBDC Business Coach Amber Wilson at Huntington Center
Encore Entrepreneur of the Year: Crista & Roger Johnson — Screech Owl Brewing, Bruceton Mills, Preston County, Client of WV SBDC Business Coach Lindsey Teets at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College Center
Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Aaron Harris — Aaron Harris Auction Services, Volga, Barbour County, Client of WV SBDC Business Coach Susannah Higgins at Upshur County EDA Center
WV Small Business Champion of the Year: Christy Laxton — Wyoming County Economic Development Authority, Pineville, Wyoming County, Client of WV SBDC Business Coach Harold Patterson at Bluefield State College Center
