BY UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Small Business Development Center will recognize the 2020 Kansas SBDC Small Businesses of the Year at the state Capitol in Topeka on Thursday, March 5.
Every year, eight regional Kansas SBDC offices nominate their existing, emerging, and exporting businesses of the year. This year’s nominees were selected from more than 2,400 businesses that received advising services from the Kansas SBDC in 2019. Those nominated will be recognized at the annual E3 Small Business Awards ceremony.
“The selected businesses were chosen through careful consideration by our Kansas SBDC regional directors and advisors,” said Greg Panichello, Kansas SBDC state director.
“Collectively, the Kansas SBDC team believes these 18 small businesses are excellent examples of small businesses that have learned to adapt and succeed in challenging times,” he said.
The businesses, listed with their locations and owners:
EXISTING BUSINESSES OF THE YEAR
The Sweet Granada – Emporia; Kim Redeker
Paisley Pear Wine Bar, Bistro and Market – Hays; Shaun and Heather Musil
Blue Valley Physical Therapy – Overland Park; Ann Todd-Cooper and Ryan Klusman
Young Sign Company – Leavenworth; Ann and John Hoins
ADI, Inc. – Chanute; Merrill and Wendy Cunningham
Dodge City Brewing – Dodge City; Larry and Sheri Cook
Connie’s Mexico Café – Wichita; Carmen Renteria, Adele Jordan, and Carla Rosales-Banuelos
The Marie Antoinette Gluten Free Baking Co. – Wathena; Rani Navarro-Force and Shawn Force
EMERGING BUSINESSES OF THE YEAR
EMP Shield, LLC – Burlington; Timothy Carty
Mind Sculpt Games, LLC – Great Bend; Darcy Leech
LC BioPlastics, LLC – Prairie Village; Paul Black
Julie Bear Don’t Walk Acupuncture + Integrative Health – Lawrence; Julie Bear Don’t Walk
Smallville CrossFit – Fort Scott; Aaron and Lindsey Watts
The Red Rock Experience & Venue – Ulysses; Tammy Lane-Reese and Jessica Reese
Ember Technology, LLC – Wichita; Jonathan Sanchez and Tariq Azmi
Anneal Initiative, Inc. – Topeka; Amy Billinger, Jeremy Jackson, and Jennie Jackson
EXPORTING BUSINESSES OF THE YEAR
SkuTouch Solutions, LLC – Lenexa; Doug and Terry Obershaw
Progressive Products, Inc. – Pittsburg; Todd Allison
For more information on the Kansas SBDC, contact Panichello, at 785-296-6514 or visit www.kansassbdc.net.