WASHINGTON – Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced the 2022 Small Business Persons of the Year winners from each of the nation’s 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The winners will be formally recognized on May 5 during the National Small Business Week (NSBW) Virtual Summit’s Awards Ceremony, May 2-5. This year’s NSBW theme, “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship,” highlights the resilience, ingenuity, and creativity of these award winners who, like millions of small businesses, have navigated challenges from the pandemic and contributed to our nation’s economic comeback.

     “I am delighted to recognize our National Small Business Week winners from across the country who have stepped up to build their businesses, create jobs, and power historic recovery over the past year,” Administrator Guzman said. “Entrepreneurs are innovators and creators at their core, delivering the products and services we depend on and making our neighborhoods, towns, and cities more vibrant places to live and work. They give their all to achieve their American dream of business ownership and, by doing so, advance America’s economy and global competitiveness. Our 2022 award winners represent the vibrancy and resiliency of our nation’s 32.5 million small businesses, and I look forward to celebrating these small business giants and the positive impact they have had on lives and livelihoods in communities all across America.” 

National Small Business Week will be observed May 1-7, 2022. It will celebrate our small businesses, provide critical resources and recognize SBA partners for their support in providing startups and small business owners with counseling and advice, skills development, disaster preparedness and recovery, as well as access to capital, government contracting, and market opportunities to start, grow and build resilient businesses. 

2022 State and Territory Small Business Person(s) of the Year

• West Virginia
  Jill Scarbro
  Bright Futures Learning Services
  Winfield, WV

Click here for a full list of State Small Business Person(s) of the Year

2022 West Virginia District Office Small Business Week Award Winners

State levels winners will be honored during an invite only awards ceremony on Friday, May 6, 2022 at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont, WV.   

• Small Business Exporter of the Year
  Kenneth Thompson
  Mustang Sampling/ Valtronics Solutions, Inc.
  Ravenswood, WV
  Nominated by: Self
• Family-Owned Small Business of the Year
  Kimberly Mack
  Cyclops Industries, Inc.
  South Charleston, WV
  Nominated by: Harold Patterson, WV SBDC
• Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year
  Julie Zuercher
  Sparkle Janitorial Products LLC
  Morgantown, WV
  Nominated by: Sharon Stratton & Frank Goldsborough, WV SBDC
• Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year
  Elizabeth Riffle
  Riffle Farms LLC
  Terra Alta, WV
  Nominated by: Sharon Stratton, WV SBDC

In addition to the small businesses being honored, the SBA West Virginia District Office will recognize their top lenders for 2021, including:

• West Virginia Lender of the Year
  Huntington National Bank 
• West Virginia Community Lender of the Year
  Clear Mountain Bank
• West Virginia Microlender of the Year
  First Microloan of West Virginia 

Co-sponsorship Authorization# 22-1-C. The SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

About National Small Business Week

For more than 60 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21^st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness.

To register for National Small Business Week and for other event information, visit www.sba.gov/NSBW.     

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. 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.