2008 Small Business Week Award Winners 5.10.08
SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner
Mark Pydynowski, President
SOMARK Innovations
Mark C. Pydynowski (President) and Ramos M. Mays (Chief Science Officer) are the founders of SOMARK Innovations, Inc., a Saint Louis based technology company that is working to help ensure a safer food supply. The company is targeting the livestock industry to identify and track cattle and thus diminish export trade loss from food animal disease scares such as Mad Cow Disease. SOMARK has developed a patented ID system based on an ink tattoo with chipless radio-frequency identification functionality.
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Small Business Team of the Year
Cynthia Brown, President
Jeffery Germann, Vice President and General Manager
Brown Germann Enterprises, Inc. dba Shred-It
Cynthia Brown and Jeffery Germann started Brown Germann Enterprises, Inc., d/b/a Shred-it in the metro St. Louis area in late 1998. The company provides on-site document destruction of confidential materials and recycling of all paper in 12 Missouri and five Illinois counties. Shred-it provides all automatic clients with locked security containers for the secure storage of all confidential materials and implements a service schedule that fits their need. A Shred-it truck comes to the clients’ location to perform on-site shredding on this predetermined schedule. Another type of service available to clients is called a purge service that is provided for periodic or one time clean-outs of confidential material.
SBA Young Entrepreneur
Mark Pydynowski, President
Somark Innovations
Mark C. Pydynowski (President) and Ramos M. Mays (Chief Science Officer) are the founders of SOMARK Innovations, Inc., a Saint Louis based technology company that is working to help ensure a safer food supply. The company is targeting the livestock industry to identify and track cattle and thus diminish export trade loss from food animal disease scares such as Mad Cow Disease. SOMARK has developed a patented ID system based on an ink tattoo with chipless radio-frequency identification functionality.
Women in Business Champion
Darlene Willman, Executive Managing Director
eWomenNetwork, Inc.
Darlene Willman is the Executive Managing Director of eWomenNetwork, Inc. where she supports and promotes women in business, organizes Accelerated Networking™ events, Strategic Business Introduction™ sessions, and eWomenNetwork Foundation fundraising events. She works to find and share resources, referrals, and business tools for other women in business nationwide. She ranks in the Top 10% in the nation for eWomenNetwork. She’s an expert in educating women on how to get more referrals for their business and does this by public speaking, coaching and mentoring.
Small Business Journalist
Ron Ameln, President
St. Louis Small Business, Inc.
Ronald J. Ameln is President of St. Louis Small Business Inc., a company that publishes the St. Louis Small Business Monthly, annual St. Louis Business Owner’ Guide, and presents the St. Louis Business Expo twice a year. Currently Ameln oversees the operation, which includes selling ads, promoting the business, formulating story ideas, and producing the company’s Business-to-Business trade shows.
Minority Small Business Champion
Patricia D. Weekley, Senior Civil Rights Specialist
Missouri Department of Transportation
Patricia Weekley is currently the Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) Senior External Civil Rights Program Specialist, and coordinator of the Disadvantage Business Enterprise Program (DBE). Her primary responsibility is to assist minority and women owned businesses navigate the DBE certification process, and qualify for construction and construction related opportunities on federal aid projects.
Home-Based Business Champion
Louise Wiedermann, Owner/Technology Consultant
Project Technology Consulting, LLC
Louise Wiedermann started Project Technology Consulting in 2002 to provide technology consulting to small businesses, home based businesses and individuals. The company’s mission is to improve client productivity and lower operating costs through effective and efficient use of technology and software. Louise is an efficiency expert in using technology, especially for those business owners who choose to work from home.
Financial Services Champion
W. Keith McLaughlin, Senior Vice president, Lending Division
The Bank of Missouri
W. Keith McLaughlin manages and operates The Bank of Missouri’s Small Business Administration (SBA) dedicated lending program. His responsibilities include recruitment, training and managing SBA loan originators, portfolio management, servicing, collection, liquidation, and secondary market sales.
Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Small Business
Alan C. Hautly, President & CEO
Hautly Cheese Company
Alan Hautly is President and CEO of Hautly Cheese Company, a family-owned wholesaler and distributor of cheese and dairy products to the St. Louis Retail Grocery market. Hautly Cheese was founded in 1934 by Frank J. Hautly and is currently growing under the guidance of third generation successors. The company which started as “cheese only” is expanding its product line into specialty dairy products that include organic milk, soymilk, specialty eggs, yogurt, and tortillas.
Small Business Exporter
Mark A. Fitzgerald, Founder & CEO
RMC Energy Group, LLC
Mark Fitzgerald is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of RMC Energy Group, LLC. RMC started operations in Saint Louis in 1993 as an exporter of patented fuel technologies that are designed to provide substantial cost savings and environmental benefits for both the oil and automotive industries. In 2003 Mark developed a manufacturing process to turn a non-useable by-product into a useable fuel additive for the Chinese market.
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