What a Month!

Well, it may be over, but it won’t soon be forgotten. I’m talking about the month of May. Every year during the month of May small businesses around the nation are honored and recognized for the work they do. They are the unsung heroes who go to battle every day to take care of their clients and provide for their families. It’s well known that these men and women are the backbones of the American economy providing the bulk of new job creation. These are the jobs that make our economy hum. I’ve mentioned them before, and I think it’s worth mentioning them again, our local Kern County small business owners who were recently recognized for their efforts. As you read their names please take the time to look them up, visit their places of business, friend them on Facebook and connect with them on LinkedIn. These are the elite, the cream of the crop, but remember, they are just a few of the many awesome people who make Kern County what it is, the best place in America to do business!

On the local level, the winners of the Kern County Family-owned Ag Business of the Year award are Michael and Michele Dorner of Dorner Family Vineyard located in Tehachapi. The Dorner’s own one of the most beautiful properties in the Cummings Valley area of Tehachapi. They offer a great wedding venue and award-winning wines from their vineyard.

The Kern County Veteran owned business of the year award winner is Phil Medlen of Classic Auto Lube and Service.

Phil’s state of the art shop “is so clean you can eat off of the floor.” Opened only two years ago, Classic Auto Lube has quickly become the “go to” place for service in the Greater Bakersfield area.

On the regional level, California SBDC award winner’s Josh and Stephanie Lowery of TRIS Technology Solutions located in Bakersfield received the “Rising Star of the Year” award. TRIS is revolutionizing the distribution of IT services throughout the region. Out sourced IT that does it right!

Another Regional winner is Warren’s Automotive in Ridgecrest. Rusty and Tina have mastered the art of the automotive repair business and received recognition as the Veteran-owned Business of the Year. Their customer service is second to none. You will feel like family!

And as always, saving the best for last is the SBA District Small Business of the Year award winners Buddy and Nikki Cummings along with their partner Harvey Stephens of World Wind and Solar located in Tehachapi. This relatively young company has become a dominant force in the renewable energy industry. They are focused servant leaders, leading from the front that have created a business model that others want to duplicate.

I hope you realize what a big deal it is, not only to be nominated, but to win one of these awards. The competition is fierce, but there is only one number one.

Know this; there is no secret to their success. They do what they do to the best of their abilities always striving to do it better, never satisfied until they get it right, and their efforts show. As I write these words to share with you, they are already back to work, planning to make next year the best year yet!

Jay Thompson is a Business Consultant with the CSU Bakersfield Small Business Development Center. The CSUB SBDC provides premium, one on one, no cost consulting to small business owners in Kern, Inyo and Mono Counties. For more information visit their website at http://www.csub.edu/sbdc.