Four winners of the 2019 U.S. Small Business Administration awards for Rhode Island also took top honors for the New England region.
They included:
• Small Business Manufacturer: Sennen G. Conte, co-owner and chief financial officer of Gerbs Allergy Friendly Foods in Johnston.
• Veteran-Owned Small Business: Christopher Sanford, owner of PureClean Disaster Restoration Services in Warwick.
• Woman-Owned Small Business: Susan Pascale-Frechette, owner and director of PODS Swimming Inc. in East Providence.
• Young Entrepreneur: Bryan Gibb, co-owner of Bolt Coffee in Providence.
The 2019 Rhode Island Small Business Week Award winners also included:
• Small Business Person of the Year award: Justin Oakley and Michael Vieira, owners of Oakley Home Access LLC, in Narragansett.
• Small Business Exporter: Naresh Mehta, co-founder and CEO; Aman Mehta, co-founder; and Christopher Mainiero, partner, of Grow Materials LLC in East Greenwich.
• Financial Services Champion: Pamela LaBreche, assistant vice president, relationship manager of Navigant Credit Union.
• Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Small Business: Gwendolyn Graham, president of Miller’s Roast Beef in East Providence.
• Microenterprise: Matthew Banoub, owner of Aten Energy Conservation LLC in Pawtucket.
• Minority-Owned Small Business: Lei Nichols, CEO of Wise Mouth Inc. in Warren.
• Rhode Island District Director Award: Posthumously awarded to Raymond Fogarty, former director of the John H. Chafee Center for International Business at Bryant University.
• Joseph G.E. Knight Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence: Kristi Langslet, CEO of Sommerfly LLC in Cranston.
The 2019 awardees will be celebrated at a luncheon ceremony at the Quidnessett Country Club in North Kingstown on May 10.
