Winners of the Valley Community SBDC 2024 small business awards. (From left to right) Joe Garcia, Clayton Ipsen, Dan Riley, Tiffany Casillas, Wesley Turner Photo by Frank Lopez

The National SBDC Day Luncheon was hosted by the Valley Community Small Business Development Center (VCSBDC) on Wednesday at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District. The annual event showcases the many accomplishments achieved by entrepreneurs and small business owners served by the organization, which provides free one-on-one business counseling, technical assistance and training for entrepreneurs and existing businesses.

Rich Mostert, director at the VCSBDC, said he is impressed by the local business community’s support for fellow business owners. 

 

Mostert relayed some advice given to him by a group of farmers, HVAC business owners, and plumbing company owners about collaboration. 

“There’s always more business out there. But if we work together we are going to capture more, share more of the wealth, we are going to keep it local, and we are going make customers,” he said. 

The winners for 2024 are:

Fresno County Business of the Year: J.I. Garcia Construction, Inc. J.I. Garcia Construction, Inc. is a licensed general building and general engineering contractor. Founded in 1982, they conduct business in California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. Private work includes shopping mall renovations, retail stores, production facilities upgrades, and apartment complex renovations. J.I. Garcia Construction’s history of Public works dates back to the 1990s; the main focus has been on the Federal Government, primarily the Department of Defense (DOD). The owner is Joseph Garcia.

Kings County Business of the Year – Turnstyle Gaming. Founded in 2023 in Hanford, Turnstyle Gaming quickly emerged as a premier esports gaming lounge, captivating gamers of all ages. They feature an expansive game selection across multiple classic arcades, nextgen, retro consoles, and high-gaming PCs. They are an esports and competition venue as well, hosting weekly and monthly events. They also offer our space by the day or for special events, private or public. The owner is Wesley Turner

Madera County Business of the Year: Riley’s Brewing. Dan Riley began building what has grown to become a 20-barrel brewery, Riley’s Brewing Company. It’s been a hands-on family brewery ever since he began fermenting beer in his pantry. Steel Structures, Inc. built everything from fermenters and brite tanks to the boil kettle and brew system. They are now located on a 16-acre complex with approximately 76,000 square feet of buildings.

Tulare County Business of the Year – True North Physician Services, LLC. True North Physician Services, LLC started at the height of COVID-19, 2020, with owner Clayton Ipsen wanting to find a way to better serve physicians and other health care providers on the business side of health care. Later that year, under True North Physician Agency, the business successfully helped its first client launch their private medical practice. This side of the company has grown to serve clients in 10 states and grown to three full-time team members.

Stakeholder of the year – US Bank. US Bank has been a model stakeholder; they have provided financial support for many years, which has helped Valley Community SBDC deliver needed counseling, technical assistance, and training services directly to clients. Their staff volunteers to help clients with their business needs and serve on the Central California SBDC Regional Advisory Board.

Partner of the Year – Workforce Development Board of Madera County. For many years, the Workforce Development Board of Madera County has been a partner of the SBDC. They have helped the center access and serve small businesses in Madera County through referrals, workshop co-sponsorships, and participation in local events and outreach opportunities. In 2023, they offered to provide both office and workshop space to conduct counseling and training. They helped recruit local small businesses to receive direct services without having to travel outside Madera County.

2024 Lori Bennett Leadership Award – Lorrie Hopper, Clovis Community College. Hopper has worked within the State Center Community College District since March of 1987; she currently serves as Vice President of Administrative Services at Clovis Community College and is known as a well-respected and thoughtful leader. She is responsible for budget development and monitoring of the restricted and unrestricted general fund as well as the college capital project funds; Oversees facilities and safety on campus; and serves on multiple councils and committees, since 2018 (when Clovis Community College became the host of Valley Community SBDC). Lorrie has made significant contributions to support and strengthen the program, including sourcing and allocating supplemental funding to provide matching funds and increased cash flow, overseeing the annual fiscal audit (which passed without findings over the last five years), and helping support the creation of new staff positions.

2024 Center Impact Award – Tim Lambert, SBDC Consultant. He initially entered the business world through the food service industry. Working through several layers of operations including hourly staff positions, supervisory, store management, training, and regional development. He has launched several businesses covering web-based solutions, technology, software development, marketing and advertising, hospitality consulting, SMB management consulting, and Global Commerce. Currently, he is exploring my passion for SMB Advising, Coaching, and Global Commerce, focusing on assisting small businesses with solutions from the idea phase to the growth and expansion of established businesses.