More than 50% of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they provide about 66% of new jobs in the U.S. each year, according to the Small Business Administration.
These small business owners strive to grow their business and keep moving ahead, despite the wearying demands of everyday challenges and inevitable unplanned circumstances. During the process, they facilitate jobs and drive the innovation that increases their country’s global competitiveness.
In recognition of the contributions of U.S. entrepreneurs and small business owners, the Small Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week every year for over half a century. This year, President Joe Biden officially declared May 1-7 as National Small Business Week.
Honoring the perseverance of entrepreneurs through the pandemic
The 2022 National Small Business theme was “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship,” which paid tribute to the resilience of entrepreneurs who contributed to keeping the economy going amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Entrepreneurs … give their all to achieve their American dream of business ownership and, by doing so, advance America’s economy and global competitiveness,” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said in a press release.
“Our 2022 award winners represent the vibrancy and resiliency of our nation’s 32.5 million small businesses, and I look forward to celebrating these small business giants and the positive impact they have had on lives and livelihoods in communities all across America,” Guzman added.
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The 2022 Small Business Persons of the Year winners
At a May 5 ceremony held during National Small Business Week, Administrator Guman announced the Small Business Persons of the Year from over 30 states, plus Puerto Rico.
Below is a list of the SBA’s 2022 small businesspersons winners.
| State/territory | Winner’s name, business |
| Alabama | Roland G. Brown, Brown Precision Inc. |
| Arizona | Tracey Latham, Latham Industries |
| Arkansas | Jaim Krutz,
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| California | Hernán Luis y Prado, VetPowered |
| Indiana | Donte Lamar Wilburn, Premier Unlimited |
| Iowa | Kimberly Baeth, Golden Openings Inc. |
| Kansas | Daniel and Janice Smoots, Fanestil Meats |
| Kentucky | Alejandro Ramirez, Universal Spartan |
Louisiana |
Craig A. Stevens, Genesis 360 LLC |
| Nebraska | Taylor Korensky, Jade Jensen & Spencer Robinson, Appsky |
| Nevada | Andrea Vigil, Allegiant Electric |
| New Hampshire | Sara B. Nadeau, Carriage Hill Assisted Living |
| New Mexico | Joy Colucci, Metis Technology Solutions |
| New York | Steven Olschewski, Clubhouse Fun Center |
| North Carolina | Kristen M. Hess, HH Architecture |
| North Dakota | Sylvia Lunski, Design Direction |
| Ohio | Laura Licursi, Elite Virtual Assistants |
| Oklahoma | John Adam Oglesbee, Warfeather LLC |
| Oregon | Kevin and Angie Shaw, Brightways Counseling |
| Pennsylvania | John Martincic, Forest Scientific Corp. |
| Puerto Rico | Carlos Cosme Marrero, JK Logistic Transport |
| Rhode Island | Byron Sheldon Delmonico, The Riddle Room |
| South Carolina | Ann Son, Holy City Linen Services |
| South Dakota | Karla Deann Santi, Blend Interactive Inc. |
| Tennessee | Robert Scott Underwood, Maxwell Industries |
| Texas | Denise Navarro,
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| Utah | Lucy Cardenas and Bill Coker, Red Iguana |
| Vermont | Vicky Allard and Joe Hanglin, Blake Hill Preserves |
| Virginia | Jeri Dee Prophet, Intelletechs |
| Washington | Efrem Fesaha, Boon Boona Coffee |
| West Virginia | Jill Rae Scarbro, Bright Futures Learning Services |
| Wisconsin | David Heide, Liliana’s Restaurant |
| Wyoming | Lena Dirck,
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