HispanicBusiness

WASHINGTON (U.S. Newswire) – Three exceptional minority-owned businesses were named recipients of the U.S. Small Business Administration's most celebrated awards for superior achievement during the 20th National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week celebration in Washington, D.C., Friday.

The winner of the National 8(a) Minority Small Business Graduate of the Year Award is Sparkle Maintenance, Inc. of Albuquerque, N.M.

Environmental Management Resources, Inc., of Kansas City, Mo., is the recipient of the National Minority Small Business Firm of the Year Award.

Raul R. Romero, President and CEO of S&B Infrastructure, Ltd., is the winner of the Administrator's Leadership Award. The Administrator's Leadership Award recognizes the recipient for his tireless efforts and unwavering commitment on behalf of the nation's minority small business community.

"Since 1983, the President has proclaimed a National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week observance to recognize the outstanding achievements of minority businesses and to honor the corporations and financial institutions that support minority business development," said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. "We're here today to celebrate the successes of these firms that contribute significantly to the success of our economy. I congratulate them for a job well done," continued Administrator Barreto.

Two of the three top award recipients were participants in the SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program - a program that provides management and technical assistance, networking and federal contracting opportunities to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses.

-- National 8(a) Minority Small Business Graduate of the Year
Carlo Lucero, President
Sparkle Maintenance, Inc.
It was actually Ben Lucero, father of Carlo Lucero, President of Sparkle Maintenance, Inc., who envisioned establishing the commercial janitorial and building maintenance service in New Mexico in 1964. Ben Lucero's vision gave rise to a business that now boasts a wide range of facility experience which includes office buildings, medical and high tech facilities, auto dealerships, government buildings, retail establishments, institutions and schools. The current service area includes cities throughout New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. Today, Sparkle is owned and operated by Ben's sons Carlo and Paul as they continue to build upon their father's legacy.

-- National Minority Small Business Firm of the Year
Connie S. Cook, President
Environmental Management Resources, Inc. (EMR)
Ms. Connie S. Cook founded Environmental Management Resources, Inc. in 1988. The Native American woman-owned firm is among the nation's leading providers of environmental consulting, testing, remediation services and training. Although EMR's headquarters is located in Kansas, EMR has 11 primary service locations throughout the United States from which approximately 100 professionals provide comprehensive environmental consulting, testing and engineering services.

In 2000, EMR completed more than 700 environmental and construction projects at sites located in 34 states, generating gross revenues in excess of $10 million. Of those projects, 75 percent were performed for Fortune 500 firms, 15 percent for smaller businesses and 10 percent for government agencies. EMR has been an active participant in the SBA's 8(a) Business Development program for the past two years.

-- Administrator's Leadership Award Recipient
Raul R. Romero, President and CEO
S & B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd.
S & B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd. is the largest independently owned engineering and construction firm in Houston with revenues approaching $500 million annually and almost 4,000 employees nationally and internationally. Governor George W. Bush appointed Raul R. Romero, President and CEO of S & B, Commissioner of the Texas General Services in 1995. As commissioner of General Services, Romero helped craft the Texas state Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Plan, or Affirmative Access Plan, increasing state contracts going to women-owned businesses by 47 percent, African-American owned businesses by 78 percent and Hispanic owned businesses by 58 percent.

The firm is engaged in public works and government services, presently engineering over one and a half billion dollars in infrastructure projects. Romero was cited in Hispanic Business Magazine in the top 100 national influential Hispanic businesses in the United States in 1995 and 1999. The Houston Post Viva Magazine also recognized him as one of Houston's prominent Hispanic business leaders.

The 11 Regional Minority Small Business Persons of the Year are:

REGION I
Mr. Theodore C. Hsu
President
Horizon Services Corporation
Hartford, CT
--
REGION II
Mr. Jose M. Garcia
President
Action Service Corporation
San Juan, PR
--
REGION III
Ms. Dona A.P. Storey
President
Quality Technical Services, Inc.
Virginia Beach, VA
--
REGION IV
Mr. Jose J. Sosa
President
J.J. Sosa & Associates, Inc
Tampa, FL
--
REGION V
Mr. David C. Woods
President
Bertram Electric Company
Indianapolis, IN
--
REGION VI
Ms. Betty P. Chao
President
WESTECH International, Inc.
Albuquerque, NM
--
REGION VII (TIE)
Mr. Michael Zambrana
President
Pangea Group, Inc.
St. Louis, MO
Ms. Connie S. Cook
President
Environmental Mgmt.
Resources, Inc.
Kansas City, MO
--
REGION VIII
Mr. Wendel P. Torres
President
Alliance General Contractors, LLC
Colorado Springs, CO
--
REGION IX
Mr. Keith Odister
President
K.O.O. Construction, Inc.
W. Sacramento, CA
--
REGION X
Mr. Rocky M. Wens
President
Engineering Support Personnel, Inc.
Lynnwood, WA