Father and daughter team Stephanie Smith and Steve Dick go to the ends of the Earth (literally) to ensure their clients have a positive travel experience. Photo by Backstory Creative

Several Central Valley companies made it on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of companies released Tuesday, distinguished by their revenue growth.

The annual list is compiled by entrepreneur media publishing brand Inc. and is ranked on revenue growth from 2021-2024. The minimum revenue required for 2021 is $100,000; the minimum for 2024 is $2 million.

Inspiration Travel, No. 223

Fresno faith-based travel agency Inspiration Travel has the highest ranking of any local company, debuting on the Inc 5000 list at No. 223 with 2021-2024 revenue growth of 1,721%.

In 2020, Inspiration Travel ranked at No. 4,349.

The second-generation family business was founded in 1981 as Christian Cruise Conferences. It specializes in Christian cruises and tours of the Holy Land in Israel. The business was acquired by Steve and Ruth Dick in 1994, and has since grown its client base to serve more than 1,500 organizations and more than 240,000 travelers.

Earlier this year, Inspiration Travel underwent a leadership transition, with Stephanie Smith, daughter of Steve and Ruth, appointed as CEO.

The company’s ascendancy is even more remarkable given the depths reached by the travel industry during the pandemic.

Our growth reflects the power of adaptability, strong partnerships and God’s guidance. After a 98% drop in 2021 due to the pandemic, we methodically rebuilt as travel returned, then navigated another disruption with the war in Israel in 2023,” said Smith in a statement. “Through each challenge, God truly directed our steps, providing wisdom, opportunities, and the right people at the right time. We pivoted quickly, innovated our offerings, and leaned into our relationships with event partners. By 2024, pent-up demand and our proven ability to deliver seamless, mission-aligned experiences propelled us back to and beyond pre-pandemic levels.”

In 2024, Inspiration Travel was named a winner of The Business Journal’s Family Owned Business Awards (FOBA).

Wellpointe, Inc., No. 690

Fresno health care company Wellpointe, Inc. ranked at No. 690 with three-year revenue growth of 600%. The boutique provider of residential assisted living services was co-founded by CEO George Kutnerian in 2007.

“I attribute our continued success to clarity and conviction of vision, as well as a talented, committed team that can consistently execute against that vision,” Kutnerian said in a statement.

He added that it’s exciting to be part of the Central Valley’s expanding ecosystem of growth-oriented businesses.

SimpleTherapy, No. 1,234

SimpleTherapy in Fresno was 1,234 with 355%. Founded in 2011, the company provides physical, musculoskeletal and behavioral health services to employer client groups by combining digital and technology-guided treatment with a national network of providers. Arpit Khemka is CEO of SimpleTherapy, which is making its debut on the list.

“This recognition is a testament to our entire team’s unwavering dedication to delivering holistic, patient-centered care,” Khemka said in a statement. “SimpleTherapy has evolved from a virtual MSK [musculoskeletal] solution into a unified platform for physical and behavioral health, offering digital care, virtual services, and access to a national network of over 60,000 providers.”

SimpleTherapy recently partnered with the Fresno Unified School District to launch SimpleConnect, a 24/7, multilingual digital mental health service for students and families.

Clark Bros., No. 1,580

Fresno heavy civil construction company Clark Bros. returns to the list at No. 1,580 with 277% revenue growth. Founded in 1962, Clark Bros. specializes in water and waste treatment, wind and solar energy, high-voltage electricity distribution and utility-scale battery storage.

Lawrence Clark is CEO and president of the company, which made its best ever showing on the list this year after seven appearances dating back to 2016.

Solar Negotiators, No. 2,892

Solar Negotiators of Clovis makes its second consecutive appearance on the Inc. 5000 list, ranking at No. 2,892 with 147% growth under CEO Chris Moran. Founded in 2008, Solar Negotiators has served more than 10,000 customers and is one of the highest-rated solar contractors in California.

Lee’s Air, Plumbing and Heating, No. 3,061

Lee’s Air, Plumbing and Heating in Fresno returns for its eighth appearance on the list, ranking at No. 3,061 with 132% revenue growth. Founded in 1981, Lee’s Air has offices in Fresno, Sacramento, Las Vegas and Peoria, Arizona. Damon Bromagem was announced as CEO of the company in December 2024.

EKC Enterprises, No. 3,554

Fresno’s EKC Enterprises ranks at 3,554 on the list with 109% revenue growth. The low-voltage integration company provides solutions in design, installation and integration of technology products for schools, hospitals and industrial space. Founded in 2003, EKC is making its sixth appearance on the list under CEO Chris Shafer.

Empower Home Services, No. 4,670

Empower Home Services of Clovis, a residential and small-business solar installation company, ranked at No. 4,670 with 65% growth. This was the third consecutive year on the list for the company under owner and CEO Landon Wimmer.

The 5,000 companies on this year’s list combined for $300 billion in 2024 revenue, added 536,086 jobs in the past three years and posted over $177 billion in growth since 2021.

Topping the Inc. 5000 list is Akool, with a staggering 37,364% growth rate. The generative AI platform for visual marketing and advertising is based in Palo Alto.

The top industries by revenue are health care & medical (210% median growth rate), government services (181% median growth rate) and construction (163% median growth rate).

The biggest metro areas for revenue growth include Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wisconsin (358% median growth rate), Chattanooga, Tennessee (323% median growth rate) and Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina (220% median growth rate).

Forty-one of the companies reported revenue of $1 billion and more. There were 110 companies making the list for the 10th time or more. Companies as large as 70,000-plus employees and as small as a single-person operation (19 single operators total) made the list.

The No. 1 company by revenue was No. 4,017 Carahsoft Technology in Reston, Virginia. The government IT solutions provider reported more than $16 billion in revenue in 2023.

“The Inc. 5000 is one of the most important things we publish each year — a real-time bellwether of American business,” stated Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc. “At a moment when entrepreneurs are navigating economic uncertainty, labor shifts, and inflation, this list is powerful proof of innovation and resilience. We’re deeply grateful to the thousands of companies that trust us with their growth data to make this list possible.”