Regional Focus
COMPILED BY JENNIFER JETT PREZKOP
SBA Honors West Virginia ’ s Top Small Businesses
Administrator Linda McMahon , head of the U . S . Small Business Administration ( SBA ), has announced this year ’ s small business award winners from the 50 states , the District of Columbia , Puerto Rico , Guam and the U . S . Virgin Islands . The winners , including 13 from West Virginia , were honored in Washington , D . C this spring .
“ I ’ m proud of our region ’ s winners ,” says Carl Knoblock , acting SBA Mid-Atlantic regional administrator . “ Every year our national competitors reflect the dedicated work of our entrepreneurs as well as the support of the SBA and our partner organizations .” This year ’ s winners from West Virginia are :
• 2017 WV Small Business Person of the Year – Matthew Paul Knott , River Rider Family Adventure Resort , Harpers Ferry ;
• 2017 8 ( a ) Graduate of the Year – Leah Heimbach , Healthcare Management Solutions , LLC , Fairmont ;
• 2017 WV Small Business Exporter of the Year – Justin Seibert , Direct Online Marketing , Wheeling ;
• 2017 Family-Owned Small Business of the Year – Donald Riggenbach , Riggenbach Tile and Carpet , New Martinsville ;
• 2017 Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year – Chin Orih , Corporate Cleaning Services , LLC , Morgantown ;
• 2017 WV Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year – Elizabeth Yeager Cross , Yeager Design & Interiors , Scott Depot ;
• 2017 WV Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year – Chad
Ranson and John Roberts , Ranson Inspection Services , LLC , Ripley ;
• 2017 WV Encore Entrepreneur of the Year – Delaina Kucish , Our Country Corner , Fairmont ;
• 2017 WV Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Dakota Janowitz , DJ ’ s Firewood , Augusta ;
• 2017 WV Small Business Champion of the Year – Patrick Ford , Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle , Weirton ;
• WV Lender of the Year – Huntington National Bank ;
• WV Community Bank of the Year – MVB Bank ; and
• WV Microlender of the Year – First Microloan of West Virginia .
WVU Women ’ s Business Center Is Open for Business
Entrepreneurs from the community now have a resource at West Virginia University ( WVU ) to guide them through the process of starting their own business . The WVU Women ’ s Business Center ( WBC ) offers a variety of services , including one-on-one counseling , networking events , training workshops and technical assistance on topics like business fundamentals , financial management , marketing and procurement . The WBC also connects entrepreneurs with services such as prototyping and financing .
“ West Virginia University is deeply committed to seeing our communities thrive economically , both now and for years to come ,” says WBC Director Andrea McCardle . “ The West
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