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Salute to
Small Business
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The annual
Small Business Week awards showcase the St. Louis region’s most
successful entrepreneurs.
Most St. Louisans know that this is one of the biggest sports cities
in the United States, but few know that it is also the largest small
business segment in the United States.
The Small Business Week 2001 salute to small business took place
May 7–11 with seminars, networking events and programs to interest
everyone.
According to Carolyn Gegg, chairman of this year’s event, she and
her committee have put together an ambitious opportunity for participants
to learn from experts in a variety of business-related professions,
as well as network with each other and meet this year’s award-winning
small business owners.
“As the new millennium gets started, Small Business Week wants to
continue St. Louis’ tradition of having a prosperous environment
for business owners,” Gegg says.
Below are the recipients of the Small Business Awards as well as
a brief description of their achievements both in business and civic
endeavors.
Charles
E. Luntz Charles Luntz & Associates, Inc.
Being a veteran of the U.S. Army, Charles Luntz feels a special
bond to those that he helps find jobs. Since 1990, Luntz has been
aiding Veteran’s in putting together a resume, learning how to interview
more effectively and how to negotiate better wages. Charles Luntz
& Associates bills by the hour and does not charge for additional
hires off the same search, guaranteeing that companies are able
to save money by using them. They give a guaranteed maximum for
professional staff time but no minimum, vowing not to exceed 30
percent in professional staff time. Services include salary administration,
thorough reference and credential checking, job descriptions, special
surveys and Internet Recruiting. Conducting extremely sensitive
searches without ever breaching confidentiality, they will also
“unbundle their services” to handle client needs.
Luntz’ responsibilities, in addition to conducting searches, are
to handle the administrative duties, volunteer activities and dealing
with individuals who are in need of a position but received no assistance
from their previous employers and fit a certain criteria. This is
another way he gives back to the community. He deals with all aspects
of running a small business.
Luntz is currently on the St. Louis Chapter of the Board of Directors
of the AUSA, YMCA committees, Partnership With Youth, Board of Managers-
Edward Jones family YMCA and serves on the RCGA Business After Hours
Committee and Venue Committee.
Theodore (Ted) C. Jacoby, Jr. T.C. Jacoby & Company, Inc.
After taking over the business from his father, Theodore C. Jacoby,
Sr. who had 15 years prior experience in the business, realized
his company had gained huge coverage in the United States. Jacoby’s
next step was to branch out into foreign exports. After NAFTA went
into effect, he saw the perfect opportunity to expand his business
into Mexico and Canada. As a wholesale operation that exports dairy
products, to include milk (both fluid and powdered), butter, cheese,
ice cream, ices, and cream, they purchase product from farm co-operatives
throughout the U.S., mainly in the Midwest. His company presently
employs 34 people at their new St. Louis office.
Since 1995, the company has grown from $200,000 in revenue to more
than $20 million by the end of the year 2000. They have worked with
the U.S. Export Assistance Center for export financing and marketing
assistance. They have also used the services offered through the
Missouri Development Finance Board. The company works closely with
the Missouri Department of Agriculture and has hosted many foreign
visitors, participated in exporting seminars and taken advantage
of many opportunities presented through this close relationship.
Kay F. Berry KBK Financial, Inc.
With almost 20 years in the finance industry, Kay F. Berry has been
a strong supporter and financial advocate for small business. A
public company traded on the American Stock Exchange; KBK offers
diverse products and services, which gives the strength to provide
wide-ranging, flexible solutions for customers. KBK offers working
capital financing, factoring, asset-based lending, and term loans.
During its 38-year history, KBK has financed manufacturers, wholesalers,
distributors, and service providers seeking capital for growth,
debt restructure, recapitalizations, and acquisitions.
Upon starting at KBK, Berry introduced the “Correspondent Banker
Program,” providing banks with an alternative financial service
for small- to medium-sized companies. The program allows banks the
ability to offer a solution instead of a turndown. KBK’s creative
approach often breathes new momentum into growing businesses with
accelerated capital needs.
Along with being Committee Chairperson for Small Business Week,
Berry is also a member of the Missouri Venture Forum, Missouri Bankers
Association, NAWBO, Turnaround Management Association, Association
of Corporate Growth, Commercial Finance Association, American Staffing
Association and American Cash Flow Organization.
Joseph T. Eckelkamp Eckelkamp & Associates, CPAs, P.C.
Joseph Eckelkamp always wanted his firm to be the kind of firm he
would want to work in as an employee, and Eckelkamp has been successful
in doing so. Eckelkamp & Associates, CPAs, P.C., a St. Louis County
CPA firm emphasizing personal and business Rent-A-CFO services,
traditional accounting and tax services, has been helping clients
since 1996. He has more than 20 years of diverse financial management
experience, holding positions as Chief Financial Officer of two
businesses and Vice President
of Finance/Controller of two others. These included financial institutions,
a data services company, and a technology company. Eckelkamp also
was associated with Ernst & Young. During his career, he has focused
on creating solutions to obstacles for his employers and clients,
and recently obtained tax credits totaling $350,000 for a client.
His goal is to help you “Keep what you Reap.”
Eckelkamp is accomplished in the areas of taxation, contract negotiation,
revenue enhancement, cost reduction, and systems design and integration.
Special assignments have included two overseas assignments performing
expatriate tax compliance work, pilot projects in information technology
and the sale of all or part of several companies.
A lifelong St. Louis resident, he has received several awards, including
the prestigious Mercantile Bancorporation, Inc. Chairman’s Award.
Eckelkamp currently serves on the Board of Directors for St. Louis
Children’s Health Fund and Aid for Victims of Crime. His other affiliations
include the American Institute of CPAs, Lindenwood College’s Accounting
Advisory Board and a Visa International advisory committee.
Evelyn (Evy)
L. Coppola Professional Women’s Home Offices, Inc.
Professional Women’s Home Offices, Inc. (PWHO) was founded by Evelyn
(Evy) L. Coppola, and incorporated as a not-for-profit organization
through the Secretary of State in January 1998 for the purpose of
giving women business owners who worked from home-based offices
an opportunity to grow their businesses through networking and educational
opportunities. The mission of the organization is to be an organization
dedicated to women working from home-based offices and provides
education, networking, leads and mentoring for professional growth
in a dynamic, energetic, friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
During
Coppola’s tenure as president for the Professional Women’s Alliance,
membership grew from a base of 30 to more than 175. In addition,
she is a National Regional Coordinator for the National Association
for Female Executives of which PWHO is a Network Member, giving
PWHO members additional national opportunities for business expansion,
discounts and special events.
Coppola
is the recipient of several awards from organizations and companies
she works with, and recently received the Woman of Inspiration Award
2000 presented at the first in the series of Leadership for Women
Luncheons sponsored by KMOX radio. She was also honored at the annual
NAFE awards as the most effective network director and PWHO’s award
for membership innovation presented in Florida in October 2000.
Isaac Darden Capital Business Credit Corp.
Being
the son of parents who were both minority small business owners,
it would be safe to say that Isaac Darden has entrepreneurship in
his genes. For the past 20 years, Darden has been working in the
finance industry, and is currently Vice President and Business Development
Officer for Capital Business Credit Corp.
His previous employers include: Commerce Bank, Visitation Community
Credit Union, ITT Small Business Finance Corp. and the Gateway National
Bank. He is currently a member of the Stempel Plan Board of Directors,
Advisory Committee for Minority and Women Business Lending for the
regional office of the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency. Capital
Business Credit Corporation is a commercial finance company that
provides lines of credit secured by commercial accounts receivables,
inventory and equipment. The corporation is headquartered in Atlanta,
Ga., with offices located in Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee,
New York, Texas, California and Missouri.
Jimmy S. Andrews Q&A Business Solutions, Inc.
Being
surrounded by computers since he was 8 years old, Jim Andrews has
always held on to the “Why not?” attitude, which helped him through
the next 17 years of life, learning practically every facet of computer
programming, training and system development in both the public
and private sectors. After marrying fellow business owner Beth Quick
in 1994, the two combined their companies to form their home-based
Q&A Business Solutions, providing cost-effective system development,
maintenance, training and customer programming to businesses, non-profit
organizations and individuals throughout the St. Louis area.
As part of Andrews’ commitment to professional development and the
community, he is a member of the Computer Consultants of St. Louis,
Association of Business Support Services International, Inc., Office
Support Network (Local affiliated chapter of ABSSI), Small Business
Network, St. Louis Ambassadors, South County Chamber of Commerce,
Lemay Chamber of Commerce and the St. Louis Convention and Visitors
Commission.
David Steward World Wide Technology, Inc.
In
1990, David Steward started World Wide Technology with only four
employees and great faith in his abilities to succeed. After years
of hard work and commitment to his customers, Steward now has 500-plus
employees and expected revenue of more than $1 billion for 2001.
In 2000 and again this year, Steward’s company earned honors from
Black Enterprise Magazine as the number one African-American owned
business in the United States. In 1999, he was recognized as “Company
of the Year” in the same publication. Steward also received the
honor of being inducted into the U.S. Small Business Administration’s
Hall of Fame.
Steward
serves on numerous committees and boards that include Civic Progress
of St. Louis, the 21st Century Workforce, the St. Louis RCGA, Missouri
Technology Corporation, Webster University, BJC Health System, First
Banks, Inc., Union Memorial Outreach Center, St. Louis Science Center,
United Way Executive Committee of Greater St. Louis, the Greater
St. Louis Area Council Boy Scouts of America, INROADS, and New Cornerstone.
Himanshu (Sue) Bhatia Rose International
In
1993, Himanshu (Sue) Bhatia founded Rose International in St. Louis,
along with her husband, Gulab. Since then, Rose has grown from a
localized, five employee company to a nationwide firm employing
nearly 300 people. This growth is a result of building solid partnerships
with customers to provide high-quality service at a reasonable price,
as well as the ability to retain top-notch employees (retention
remains at 86 to 88 percent). Rose has a strong track record of
repeat business from customers, while continuing to win new clients
on a consistent basis. The firm’s management team has more than
100 years of combined technology services experience with such companies
and government agencies as EDS, IBM, DEC, Boeing, Ameren, Department
of Defense and the State of Missouri. Bhatia attributes her firm’s
success to two very basic principles—a well-developed work ethic
throughout the company, and a very practical, results-oriented approach
in addressing customer problems.
Janet Scott The Women’s Yellow Pages of Greater St. Louis
Janet
Scott is the president of the St. Louis PulisHers, Inc., publisher
of the Women’s Yellow Pages of Greater St. Louis, a directory of
women-owned businesses that is produced annually. As publisher of
the WYP, Ms. Scott keeps her advertisers and subscribers informed
about area networking meetings, state and national legislation concerning
women and business, news of local and national womens’ organizations
and local events.
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