Small Business Administration Celebrates Small Business Week Award Winners

Stories and photos courtesy of WV SBA

The U.S. Small Business Administration recognized its 2017 West Virginia Small Business Week Award Winners during a luncheon May 3 at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont. The event was sponsored by: MVB Bank, Regional Development Funding Corp., Huntington National Bank, First Microloan of West Virginia, Impakt Marketing, SCORE and the West Virginia Small Business Development Center.

W.Va. Small Business Champion of the Year: Patrick Ford, Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle, Weirton

Patrick Ford has over 25 years of experience in economic and community development, working as a development executive in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland and Florida. He has identified that flat, developable land is at a premium in West Virginia and has worked to acquire sites for such opportunities in the Northern Panhandle.

Over the past five years, he has leveraged the resources of the Business Development Corp. to attract over $200 million dollars of public and private investment in energy, chemicals, value-added metals, health care and transportation logistics to Brooke and Hancock counties. The region has also added over $75 million dollars in annual payroll and has seen a drop in the unemployment rate of more than 6 percent.

In his nomination packet, it was noted, "Anyone doing business within the Northern Panhandle knows that Pat's phone is always on and that he will always take the time to listen and assist."

W.Va. Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Dakota Janowitz, DJ's Firewood, Augusta

Dakota Janowitz is a quintessential young entrepreneur. While his peers were busy with sports and typical school functions, Janowitz was busy working in and on his business. The day he turned 16 he got his driver's license and shortly after started selling firewood and mowing yards. "I always wanted to own my own business," Janowtiz said.

At the age of 17, he sold 100 cords of wood. By age 19, he sold over 200, and at 21, with the help of his small business coach, he bought a new firewood processor - a very expensive piece of equipment. In addition to running his small business, Janowitz is active in his community through volunteer work with Future Farmers of America and he participates in many church functions and outreach. He provides pro bono services to organizations and those in need throughout his community.

The U.S. Small Business Administration assisted Janowitz with counseling services offered through its resource partner the West Virginia Small Business Development Center.

W.Va. Encore Entrepreneur of the Year: Delaina Kucish, Our Country Corner, Fairmont

"It is not often you find a superstar in your community, especially one that has re-invented themselves over and over taking risks that most business people would not even consider. In Fairmont, we have such a person and her name is Delainia Kucish," states Tina Shaw, Marion County Chamber of Commerce president and nominator.

Kucish was an educator in the Marion County School system, teaching entrepreneurship classes. She decided to take the leap and open Mail Boxes Etc. in 1997, which today is the UPS Store in Fairmont. In 2001, she opened a new branch for Edward Jones Investment in Westover and became a limited partner with the firm in 2006. In 2013, at the age of 56, she and her daughter opened Our Country Corner and Jelly Cupboard Candles.

Not only is Kucish an entrepreneur three times over, but she also recently expanded the candle business to wholesale for local nonprofit organizations.

W.Va. Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year: Chin Orih, Corporate Cleaning Services LLC, Morgantown

Chin Orih was born in Nigeria, came to the U.S. at age 10, received a full academic and athletic scholarship to attend West Virginia University, and opened his business while still in undergraduate school.

He had to learn to balance school, work and athletics, as well as running his cleaning business. He was 2001 Team Captain of the WVU's men's soccer team, obtaining a bachelor's degree in business administration, a master's in industrial labor relations and building his small business from the ground up. In his 10 years of business, Orih has grown Corporate Cleaning Services, a janitorial and residential cleaning business to 20 employees, with expanded services including mobile auto detailing.

Orih continues to enjoy soccer and helps coach youth soccer teams in the Morgantown area. He enjoys spending time with family, conducting speaking engagements at WVU and networking through community involvement.

The U.S. Small Business Administration assisted Orih with counseling services offered through its resource partner, the West Virginia Small Business Development Center.

W.Va. Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: Elizabeth Yeager Cross, Yeager Design & Interiors, Scott Depot

Elizabeth Yeager Cross comes from a family of self-starters. She knew from a young age she would one day own her own design business. As a child, she dreamed in vivid colors of gorgeous fabric and interiors.

Cross obtained a business degree and a four-year interior architecture degree from Virginia Tech and the University of Charleston. She took a job right out of college in Baroursville designing kitchens and baths. She worked there for four years until she was expecting her first child and decided it was time to take the leap and chase her childhood dream of owning a small business.

Since 2011, when she opened Yeager Design and Interiors, Cross has worked to transform every space she designs into a fun, fabulous and affordable work of art. She has expanded her space to 4,200 square feet in the past three years, grown her client footprint to 10 states and employs two full-time employees and four part-time employees.

W.Va. Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year: Chad Ranson and John Roberts, Ranson Inspection Services LLC, Ripley

One out of every 10 American businesses today is owned by a veteran. Most veterans are self-starters. They are risk-tolerant, loyal, disciplined and focused. And they are used to wearing many hats and managing stress. These traits also describe Chad Ranson and John Roberts.

Ranson, a veteran of the U.S. Army, and Roberts, a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, started Ranson Inspection Services five years ago out of their homes. Their services include quality control management and programs, weld testing, procedure qualifying and writing and much more. Soon after opening their business, they leased a 6,000-square-foot building with offices and test space.

In 2016, RSI signed an agreement with Signalman's Safety Sleeve LLC in Johnstown, Pennsylvania to become 25 percent owners. The business has a pending patent on a safety sleeve and needed financial assistance getting to market.

"The quality of what we do today will determine how safely it performs or does not perform tomorrow," Ranson said. The attention to detail they use every day is a quality both said was instilled during their military training.

W.Va. Family-Owned Small Business of the Year: Donald Riggenbach, Riggenbach Tile and Carpet, New Martinsville

Riggenbach Tile and Carpet has served the local community since 1956. The business was started by Donald Riggenbach's father, Paul Riggenbach, a block from its current location.

Donald Riggenbach received his master's degree in oceanography at Old Dominion University and was without local work in his field when his dad offered him a job at the family store. He started at the bottom, installing floors, and slowly earned more responsibility. When his father died in 1995, Riggenbach became the sole owner.

In 2005, his son, Matthew, completed art school and, like his father 30 years earlier, found himself without work in his field. So, like Paul did for Donald, Matthew was offered ajob at the family business if he would be willing to move back home. Mathew Riggenbach, now partial owner, is taking the family business into the third generation with hopes of expansion and increased sales.

W.Va. Exporter of the Year: Justin Seibert, Direct Online Marketing, Wheeling

Seibert embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship. He and his expecting wife left California with their infant daughter in 2006. Neither had work lined up, yet they decided to move to West Virginia because it was the best place to raise their family.

Later that year, Seibert founded Direct Online Marketing and has been hustling ever since. He's turned his internet marketing company with headquarters in Wheeling into a global company doing business on all six of the populated continents. Selling services internationally is rare, but Direct Online Marketing is showing success. Seibert works to target customers by participating in trade missions with the state, and he has no signs of slowing down. He has 16 employees, has opened a Pittsburgh office, plans to open an LA office and has seen 25 percent or more growth over the past four years. He has no signs of slowing down.

The U.S. Small Business Administration assisted Siebert through STEP grant funding obtained by the West Virginia Development Office.

W.Va. Small Business Person of the Year: Matthew Knott, River Riders Family Adventure Resort, Harpers Ferry

Knott is a natural-born entrepreneur who has spent his entire life in Jefferson County. He was born into a farm family in Kearneysville and began working at River Riders in Harpers Ferry while attending college at Shepherd University. Shortly after college, he became the owner and grew the business from 10 employees to 156 employees.

Knott found his niche and has a strong vision of where he wants it to go. In addition to building River Riders Family Adventure Resort, Knott acquired the adjacent hotel property, moving his company into a new era of full-service amenities. Knott installed the state's second-largest solar energy system that produces enough to offset an estimated $10,000 in electricity costs.

The U.S. Small Business Administration assisted Knott with counseling services offered through its resource partner the West Virginia Small Business Development Center.

Phoenix Award - Disaster Recovery by a Volunteer (National Winner): Susan Jack, Clendenin

The Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery by a Volunteer is a national award given to an individual whose efforts and contributions have enabled his or her community to recover successfully from a disaster.

Jack, as a volunteer, led and coordinated efforts to locate, organize and provide assistance to disaster survivors in the Clendenin area following the severe flooding in June 2016.

Jack was actually on her way out of Clendenin. With all her belongings in storage, she was renting a small home while her daughter finished high school. They were scheduled to move to Ohio for better career opportunities and to be close to family. That move never happened. With no job and very few belongings not destroyed by the storm, Jack and her daughter felt the need to stay in Clendenin and help their community rebuild. Not only did she stay when others were leaving, with help from her parents, she purchased a home with potential rental properties attached- an opportunity she called her future saving grace.

Jack encourages West Virginians to continue to donate their time to help Clendenin recover.

W.Va. 8(a) Graduate of the Year (National Winner): Leah Heimbach, Healthcare Management Solutions LLC, Fairmont

Healthcare Management Solutions was co-founded by two nurses: current President Leah Heimbach and her former business partner, Patti Hodges, who recently retired. The business was established to provide innovative solutions to the health care industry, and that is what they have done for the past 14 years.

HMS, on behalf of the state and federal government, ensures specific types of health care facilities are in compliance with federal regulations. They perform over 500 inspections a year and they are often the front-line safety inspectors for many at-risk, vulnerable populations, such as nursing home residents.

HMS regularly donates to organizations like Children's Home Society, Union Mission, Salvation Army, Toys for Tots and the local Soup Opera. One project dear to Heimbach is the Growing Up Fun project, which entailed building a playground at Watson Elementary School specifically designed to accommodate the needs of children of all abilities and is ADA compliant.

HMS has used many services offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, including counseling, networking events, the Federal Acquisition Management Certification Program and the 8(a) Business Development Program, to which they credit much of their success to in developing and expanding their federal footprint.

W.Va. Lender of the Year: Huntington National Bank, Mike Fleak

W.Va. Community Bank of the Year: MVB Bank, Herman DeProspero

W.Va. Microlender of the Year: First Microloan of West Virginia, Dan Reitz and Tim James