SIOUX FALLS The U.S. Small Business Administrations South Dakota District Director Bryson Patterson will join Regional Administrator Justin Everett at multiple statewide National Small Business Week award presentations and business tours. The tours will include stops in Black Hills, Volga, Sioux Falls and Gayville.
These events are in celebration of National Small Business Week, which is held annually each May. The awards will be given to six small businesses in the categories of: Small-Business Person of the Year, Exporter of the Year, Veteran-owned of the Year, Family-owned Business, Woman-owned Business, and Small-Business Champion.
For more than 60 years, the SBA has celebrated National Small Business Week, which acknowledges the critical contributions of Americas entrepreneurs and small-business owners. This years award winners come from all parts of the state and represent the very best of South Dakotas business community.
The group will visit multiple communities across the state and present awards to the various winners.
The events:
- April 29 Rapid City, Box Elder and Belle Fourche
- May 1 Volga
- May 7 Sioux Falls
- May 9 Gayville
April 29
Veteran-owned Small Business of the Year FourFront Design
Stephanie Holman, president and CEO
517 Seventh St., Rapid City, SD 57701
FourFront Design is based in Rapid City but operates across all 50 states.
They offer a range of services including architecture, landscape architecture, mechanical and electrical engineering, CAD, BIM, interior design, and electric vehicle (EV) services. Stephanie Holman is their distinguished leader with over 21 years of service in the United States Air Force and has helped FourFront grow to projects in all 50 states.
Small Business Exporter of the Year – VRC Metal Systems
Rob Hrabe, CEO and co-founder
600 N. Ellsworth Road, Box Elder, SD 57719
VRC Metals manufactures a cold spray paint the chemical compound and force of the spray makes the paint attach to metal like a weld. VRC has leveraged SBIR, 504 lending, THRIVE, SBDC, for growth after Rob retired as a Lt. Colonel from the Air Force. VRC is active in federal contracting and exporting and cold spray technology is saving the DoD annual budget by preserving usability of aircraft and ships.
Family-owned Small Business of the Year
Automotive Company Inc. dba Butte County Equipment Kenita Jensen, owner, 11363 US 212, Belle Fourche, SD 57717.
Butte County Equipment is a local farm and agriculture dealership that sells products such as tractors, side by sides, balers, and hay cutters. They have multiple locations all over western South Dakota.
10:30 a.m. May 1
Woman-owned Small Business of the Year Spot-On Printing
Jacki Hoven and Darci Ford, owners
222 Kasan Ave. Volga, SD 57071
Spot-On Printing offers embroidery, screen printing, laser engraving, logo design, signage, and promotional items. They offer their services in multiple rural communities of South Dakota
8 a.m. May 7
Small Business Champion of the Year Brienne Maner
Startup Sioux Falls
100 E. Sixth St., Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Brienne Maner is the president of Startup Sioux Falls, which is an ecosystem organization that empowers founders by offering resources to network, launch and grow their ventures. They ignite innovation by being a thought leader in the state to bring new ideas to life and offer better support for founders
7 a.m. May 9
Small-Business Person of the Year Valley Ag
Tara Olson, president/owner
509 Washington St. Gayville, SD 57031
Valley Ag Supply is a family-owned agronomy center that provides information, fertilizer and chemical sales, hay testing, lawn products, pet food, tarps and twine, and custom application. They are a mighty team of 24 employees that serves southeast South Dakota with locations in Gayville and Spink.
May 4-10 is National Small Business Week a week to acknowledge the critical importance of South Dakotas 95,000 entrepreneurs. South Dakotas small firms employ 208,000 people and make up 98% of all businesses in the state.
To learn more about National Small Business Week, go here.
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