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South Carolina Firm Named National Minority Small
Business of the Year at MED Week 2009 Conference
New York Firm, SBA Chicago District Director, GSA & Homeland Security Officials Also Honored
WASHINGTON - Cyrus Sinor, P.E. and Lawrence Kai-Yun Yeh, P.E., co-CEOs of International Public Works, LLC (IPW), were honored today as Minority Small Business Persons of the Year during the 27th Anniversary of the National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week conference in Washington, D.C.
"I'm honored to be part of this important event with these extraordinary entrepreneurs. These business leaders provide innovative products and services to the federal government and commercial market, create jobs and stimulate economic growth," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills, who made the announcement during her keynote address.
"President Obama has made a commitment to ensuring that minority-owned small businesses have the tools they need to succeed, grow and create jobs and it's a commitment shared across the Administration," Mills said.
The Obama Administration recently reaffirmed its commitment to making sure minority-owned small businesses have access to federal contracts. The President stated that it is essential our nation's small businesses are provided with the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in federal government contracting. As part of the President's initiative federal agency procurement officials will hold or participate in more than 200 events to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The award-winning, South Carolina-based engineering and construction firm is owned and operated by registered professional engineers, and reports revenues totaling more than $19.5 million with commercial and residential projects ranging from $3,000 to $6 million throughout South Carolina and North Carolina.
SBA Administrator Mills also recognized Sundra L. Ryce, President of SLR Contracting & Service Company, Inc. of Buffalo, N.Y. Rice was the recipient of the 8(a) Graduate Firm of the Year Award.
Mary Parks, acting associate administrator for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at the General Services Administration and Kevin Boshears, associate administrator for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at the Department of Homeland Security both received the Administrator's Leadership Award for their tireless efforts and unwavering commitment on behalf of the nation's minority small business community.
Judith Roussel, district director for SBA's Chicago District Office received the Abe Veneable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency for the integral role she has played in the creative, technical or professional progress of minority business development over the course of her life.
This morning's award presentation capped a three-day celebration and a week-long recognition of minority entrepreneurship under this year's MED Week theme, "Energizing the American Economy with Minority Business Enterprises." MED Week is an annual event co-hosted by the SBA and the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
For more details on this year's MED Week conference, please visit www.medweek.gov or www.sba.gov/medweek2009/index.html.
