EPA Press Office:

EPA Reaffirms Commitment to Supporting Small Businesses During National Small Business Week

WASHINGTON (May 5, 2023) – This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) celebrated National Small Business Week, paying tribute to the 33.1 million American small businesses that employ almost half of the private-sector workforce. In observance of National Small Business Week, EPA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) hosted a series of events that included small business contracting training and a vendor engagement event that connected small businesses with EPA program officials and large prime contractors.

“EPA has long recognized the vital role small businesses play in powering the country’s economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “As an Agency, we will continue to champion small businesses, supporting their growth and resiliency as we work to carry out the Agency’s human health and environmental protection mission.”

The highlight of the week’s activities was the EPA Administrator’s 33^rd Annual Small Business Program Awards Ceremony, held on May 4, 2023. The ceremony honored exemplary EPA employees and program offices, as well as industry and state partners who contributed to EPA’s small business championship in Fiscal Year 2022.

The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Liz Sheetz, Chief Marketing Officer of Tunheim Partners, Inc., the recipient of this year’s Administrator’s Award for Outstanding Accomplishments by a women-owned small business.

A complete list of the award recipients can be found at the end of this press release.

Outstanding Direct Procurement Program Achievement

Office of Mission Support:

• Holly Fenderson
• Chi Tran
• Sarah Burke
• Quoc Bui
• Marcus Banks
• Emily McLeod
• Jennifer Cranford
• Dawn Roman Brown
• Ryan Rodriguez
• John Liertz

 

Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention:

• Deon Moore
• Cathleen Stewart
• LaTangila Edwards
• John Pates
• Sheila Brown
• Isaac Francois

 

Outstanding Accomplishments by a Small Business Contractor

• Microvi Biotech, Inc.

 

Outstanding Accomplishments by a Women-Owned Small Business Contractor

• Tunheim Partners, Inc.

 

Outstanding Accomplishments by a HUBZone Small Business Contractor

• Nuka Research and Planning Group, LLC

 

Outstanding Accomplishments by a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Contractor

• Logzone, Inc.

 

Outstanding Accomplishments by a Group in Support of Small Businesses
Impacted by EPA Regulations
Region 3:

• Kellee Haye
• John Robb
• Sella Burchette
• Nathanial Work

 

Award for Outstanding Accomplishments by a State Small Business Environmental Assistance Provider in Providing Technical Environmental Assistance to the Small Business Community

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s SBEAP
Recognition of Team Effort:

• Christine Hoefler
• Kaitlin Urso

 

OSDBU Director’s Awards for Exceeding at Least Four of the Five Small and Socioeconomic Business Goals

• Office of Inspector General
• Office of Mission Support
• Office of Research and Development

Crystal Duck Awards

• Larry Douchand

Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation

Office of Land and Emergency Management

 

• Keith Johnson

Air and Radiation Division

Region 7

 

• Pamela Legare

Office of Acquisition Solutions

Office of Mission Support

 

• Chris Robbins

Office of Research and Development

For further information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)