Grand Saline Business Receives SBA Success Award!
DALLAS/FORT WORTH – Herbert Austin, District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Dallas/Fort Worth District Office, presented Jonathan Lee Garner Berry, owner of Capstone Plants, dba JBerry Nursery in Grand Saline with this year’s Entrepreneurial Success Award.
JBerry is a veteran owned nursery and greenhouse company located in rural Van Zandt County. The company with the assistance of the Trinity Valley Small Business Development Center has seen an increase in net worth from $4.2 million in 2015 to $5.6 million in 2017. Revenues grew from $7.8 million to $11.5 million. JBerry employment grew as well from 86 employees in 2015 to 106 employees in 2017.
The SBA honored a total of 12 outstanding small business owners and champions of business at The Spirit of America: 2019 Salute to North Texas Small Business luncheon held on Friday, May 3rd hosted by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.
Each winner received an award from Director Austin and was greeted by US Congressman Colin Allred at the luncheon. “This is always an exciting part of the year for SBA, the small businesses, champions and community where we honor our local entrepreneurs and advocates for their great work in business and service to the community” said Herbert Austin. “These small companies are the backbone to our economy by creating two out three net new jobs every year.
“ SBA solicited nominations for the awards last fall and winners were selected by a panel of judges” said Ahmad Goree, SBA’s Public Information Officer.
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week will be held May 5th to May 11th . Events are taking place all across the country and feature forums discussing the small business landscape, business coaching services, matchmaking events as well as networking opportunities and award ceremonies. The 2019 National Small Business Person of the Year will be announced this week in Washington, DC.
The following are a complete list of winners from D/FW district:
Small Business Person of the Year
Lillianne Garcia
President CEO
Lilly Garcia Realtors
Keller, Texas
8(a) Firm of the Year
Dagmar Vanessa Tyner
CEO
TNK Services, LLC
Harker Height, TX
Exporter of the Year
Scott Jay Walker
Owner
Walker Cellular LLC dba Walker and Walker Trading
Farmers Branch, Texas
Family Owned Business of the Year
Marci Rosato
Texas Truck A/C/ Inc.
Dallas, Texas
Entrepreneurial Success
Jonathan Lee Garner Berry
Vice President
J Berry Nursery
Grand Saline, Texas
Women Business Champion
Annie Partee Holmes
Director, Minority/Women Business Enterprise Department
Dallas Independent School District
Dallas, Texas 75231
Minority Business Champion
Russell Gregory
Director of Operations & HUB Coordinator
University of North Texas System
Denton, Texas
Veteran Small Business Champion
David Shutler
CEO
Utility Systems Solutions, Inc.
Dallas, Texas
SCORE Chapter of the Year
Fort Worth, SCORE chapter 120.
Bob Siffermann, Chair
Fort Worth, Texas
DFW Community Partners Awards: There are 2 organizations
· DFW Minority Supplier Development Council
Margo Posey President and CEO
Dallas, Texas
· US India Chamber of Commerce
Neel Gonuguntla, President
Dallas, Texas
Small Business Development Center of the Year
North Central Texas SBDC
Brad Bunt, Director
Corinth, Texas
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
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