By Sherry Koonce

The News staff writer

BEAUMONT — On their way to the eighth floor of Lamar University’s John Gray Library Wednesday, two former schoolmates from Port Arthur realize they were there for the same reason — to be honored as Small Business Persons of the Year.

“It’s just amazing. We did not know it until we saw each other on the elevator,” Allen Perkins, founder and owner of Wow Food Concepts which operates Cheddars Restaurants, said.

Perkins was joined by his 1978 Thomas Jefferson classmate Louise Hernandez, owner of Hernandez Office Supply, Inc. at the Small Business Achievement Awards Ceremony where local entrepreneurs were recognized for their contributions to the community.

“We are both proud of each other,” Hernandez said.

The school chums were among 13 small business owners or operators recognized at the 24th Annual Small Business Achievement Awards Ceremony.

Sponsored by the Chambers of Commerce of Southeast Texas, Golden Triangle SCORE Chapter 521 and Golden Triangle Minority Business Council, the business leaders were recognized for their contributions to the community.

“We are so incredibly blessed here in the Golden Triangle to have such a spirit of entrepreneurship,” Beverly Hatcher Golden Triangle Minority Business Council president, said.

Guest speaker for the event was Shaun P. Davis, executive director of the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission.

“I am extremely blessed in my career to have had the opportunity to interact and work with small business owners throughout Southeast Texas,” Davis said.

In addition to his service at the planning commission, Davis was district director for Congressman Charlie Wilson from Lufkin. There, one of his duties was handling issues impacting small businesses in East Texas and working with the small business administration to promote and expand business opportunities for constituents.

“Following Charlie’s retirement, I was able to continue my work with the small business community as an economic development specialist with the small business administration in the Houston District which included al of East and Southeast Texas,” he said. “ I’ve been lucky enough to witness first hand the creativity and power of the entrepreneurial spirit, and that spirit is alive and well in Southeast Texas.”