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ARKANSAS DISTRICT OFFICE
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Release Date: April 21, 2023
Release Number: AR 23-03 |
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SBA Arkansas District Office Announces Arkansas Small Business Person of the Year; District Office Small Business Week Awardees
Little Rock, AR– Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Arkansas District Office announced the names of the five 2023 Arkansas Small Business Week award winners.
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2023 Arkansas Small Business Person of the Year
Sean Beavers, Member
Graylee Construction and Demolition, LLC
Sean Beavers is best known for his ability to overcome obstacles. He was born with a disability that limits his mobility but has never allowed his disabilities to define him or create roadblocks to his goals. After managing multi-million-dollar contracts in heavy civil construction management and observing the working conditions, Sean founded Graylee Construction and Demolition, LLC, in 2016; building projects and a company that treats their employees fairly and enriches their lives. Like most small businesses, Graylee had humble beginnings with few employees, smaller projects, and no equipment or physical location. The SBA has been instrumental in helping Graylee navigate federal contracting in the 8(a) Program, utilizing assistance from Arkansas’ Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), now APEX Accelerators (APEX), receiving pandemic assistance, and graduating from the Emerging Leaders Program to help facilitate growth. Each year they have grown and tackled larger prime projects, boasting ten employees and sales of over $2 million in 2021.
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2023 Arkansas Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Center Award
Arkansas SBTDC at University of Arkansas at Monticello
Aimee Weaver, Center Director
The UAM ASBTDC office is a one-person office serving Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, and Lincoln counties that provides confidential, individual consulting specifically tailored to each client’s business venture. Aimee Weaver became Center Director of the ASBTDC at the University of Arkansas at Monticello in October 2018. She has extensive small business and banking experience. Weaver's experience and strong ties to the local area make her uniquely qualified to support the start and growth of small businesses in the region.
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2023 Arkansas Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year
Inspire International Group, LLC
Ronald Joselin, CEO-President
Ronald Joselin is a Chilean entrepreneur and the CEO of Inspire International Group, LLC based in Conway, AR. Ronald is a University of Central Arkansas and Harvard [2004] graduate, who founded the network marketing company alongside his family in 2011. A client of SBA’s Resource Partner, Conductor, Inspire International currently boasts 8 employees, an annual revenue increase of 25%, and is operational in 5 countries.
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2023 Arkansas Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year
Nelson Intelligence Solutions, LLC
Eric Nelson, President
With more than 20 years of experience in both military and geospatial intelligence, Eric Nelson is a Dumas, Arkansas native, a decorated Marine veteran and the President of Nelson Intelligence Solutions, LLC. NIS is a geospatial production and analysis firm with an emphasis on federal government work that has a strong commitment to giving back to the community. Most recently, NIS received an SBA 504 loan to purchase and renovate a building in Little Rock so that Eric can continue growing his team and expand his services in the state.
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