By Sherry Koonce
The Port Arthur News
May 14, 2008 08:49 pm
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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.”
Davis said in the 25 years of working on projects and programs in this area, he had never seen a better sprit of cooperation among the communities.
That spirit is more important than ever since communities need to join together to supply a workforce for industrial expansions.
“According to the Southeast Texas Workforce Alliance we will need to attract 30 to 40 thousand new workers to our region over the next five years to handle all the industrial and commercial work proposed for our area,” he said. “It’s a great problem, but a problem that must be addressed.”
As a result, demand for goods and services and stress on local infrastructure will be intense, as will opportunities for entrepreneurs who are willing to identify and meet these new demands will be great, he said.
Those who have already identified and met community demands were honored with a plaque ceremony following Davis’ speech.
Small business owners and the entity nominating them were:
• The Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, Industrial and Manufacturing Division, U.S. Flag & Flagpole Supply, Tom Jordan, owner
• The Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, Service Division, Wow Food Concepts, of Beaumont, Allen Perkins, owner.
• Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, Paradice Golf Carts of Crystal Beach, David Hoelzer, owner.
• Golden Triangle Minority Business Council, Hernandez Office Supply, Inc. of Port Arthur, Louise Hernandez, owner.
• Golden Triangle Minority Business Council, Bab’s Carpet of Beaumont, Michelle and Alton Babineaux, owners.
• Groves Chamber of Commerce, Impact Plumbing Co., Charles and Desiree Marcum.
• Kountze Chamber of Commerce, Broussard’s Mortuary, Ira Braneff, owner.
• Nederland Chamber of Commerce, Sports Connection, Rickey & Sylvia Root, owners.
• Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce, Robert’s Meat Market & Steakhouse, Robert and Rebecca Rameriz, owners.
• Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce, KT Maintenance Company, Inc. Kenny Tims, owner.
• Silsbee Chamber of Commerce, Pro Rental, Don Pyburn, Jr., owner.
• Winnie Chamber of Commerce, Stratton’s Inc., Joy Turner & Jeff Silcox, owners.
Contact this reporter at skoonce@panews.com
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