TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Small Business Development Center will recognize the 2020 Kansas SBDC Small Businesses of the Year at the state Capitol in Topeka on Thursday, March 5.

Every year, eight regional Kansas SBDC offices nominate their existing, emerging, and exporting businesses of the year. This year’s nominees were selected from more than 2,400 businesses that received advising services from the Kansas SBDC in 2019. Those nominated will be recognized at the annual E3 Small Business Awards ceremony.  

"The selected businesses were chosen through careful consideration by our Kansas SBDC regional directors and advisors," said Greg Panichello, Kansas SBDC state director.

“Collectively, the Kansas SBDC team believes these 18 small businesses are excellent examples of small businesses that have learned to adapt and succeed in challenging times," he said.

The businesses, listed with their locations and owners:

EXISTING BUSINESSES OF THE YEAR

The Sweet Granada – Emporia; Kim Redeker
Paisley Pear Wine Bar, Bistro and Market – Hays; Shaun and Heather Musil

Blue Valley Physical Therapy – Overland Park; Ann Todd-Cooper and Ryan Klusman

Young Sign Company – Leavenworth; Ann and John Hoins

ADI, Inc. – Chanute; Merrill and Wendy Cunningham

Dodge City Brewing – Dodge City; Larry and Sheri Cook

Connie’s Mexico Café – Wichita; Carmen Renteria, Adele Jordan, and Carla Rosales-Banuelos

The Marie Antoinette Gluten Free Baking Co. – Wathena; Rani Navarro-Force and Shawn Force

EMERGING BUSINESSES OF THE YEAR

EMP Shield, LLC – Burlington; Timothy Carty

Mind Sculpt Games, LLC – Great Bend; Darcy Leech

LC BioPlastics, LLC – Prairie Village; Paul Black

Julie Bear Don’t Walk Acupuncture + Integrative Health – Lawrence; Julie Bear Don’t Walk

Smallville CrossFit – Fort Scott; Aaron and Lindsey Watts

The Red Rock Experience & Venue – Ulysses; Tammy Lane-Reese and Jessica Reese

Ember Technology, LLC – Wichita; Jonathan Sanchez and Tariq Azmi

Anneal Initiative, Inc. – Topeka; Amy Billinger, Jeremy Jackson, and Jennie Jackson

EXPORTING BUSINESSES OF THE YEAR

SkuTouch Solutions, LLC – Lenexa; Doug and Terry Obershaw

Progressive Products, Inc. – Pittsburg; Todd Allison

For more information on the Kansas SBDC, contact Panichello, at 785-296-6514 or visit www.kansassbdc.net.