TIFTON – Coles Cakery in Tifton is one of the 2023 National Small Business Week Award Winners announced by the Georgia SBA.
Release:
the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Georgia District Office announced the district’s 2023 National Small Business Week award winners. This year, National Small Business Week will be recognized from April 30 to May 6. As part of the celebration of small business owners, the Georgia District award winners will be honored during an awards luncheon on Thursday, May 4 in Metro Atlanta.
Ken Taunton, President and CEO of The Royster Group, Inc. was named the state of Georgia’s 2023 Small Business Person of the Year. Ken’s company is a certified minority-owned business enterprise founded in 2001 providing executive search and professional staffing services in the private and public sector. Ken has grown his company over the past 20 years from a one-person operation to a firm with over 100 employees and revenues over $20 million.
“I’m excited to announce Ken Taunton as the SBA Georgia District’s Small Business Person of the Year for 2023,” SBA Georgia District Director Terri Denison said. “Ken has a longtime relationship with SBA programs and services and has received executive-level training, contracting technical assistance, and strategic planning assistance over the years that has helped his revenues grow into the millions since his company’s inception. He also believes in giving back to his local community by supporting Sheltering Arms, an organization that provides early education, childcare, and family support services to the Metro Atlanta area.”
The 2023 SBA Georgia District small business award winners are as follows:
2023 Georgia Small Business Person of the Year
Ken Taunton, President & Owner
The Royster Group, Inc.
Ken Taunton is the president and owner of The Royster Group, Inc., a certified minority-owned business enterprise founded in 2001 providing executive search and professional staffing services in the private and public sector. Ken has grown his company from a one-person operation to a firm with more than 80 employees. In 2008, Ken was part of the SBA’s inaugural Emerging Leaders program called “e200,” which focused on developing business executives poised for growth. The program helped him navigate the Great Recession and pivot from his declining commercial business to securing federal contracts. He’s also an SBA 8(a) graduate and secured a few of the first federal contracts under the program. The Royster Group’s revenues in 2008 were $2 million, today its revenues are over $20 million. Ken is passionate about the education and workforce development of underserved youth and volunteers with organizations that help provide equitable opportunities such as Sheltering Arms.
2023 Georgia Exporter of the Year
Diaa Ghaly, Managing Director
Trans Globe LLC
Diaa Ghaly is the Managing Director of Trans Globe, LLC. Trans Globe is a global agribusiness that links farmers, producers, and processors with end users all over the world. Diaa is a father and businessman with 28 years of experience in areas of international business development, strategic planning, global trading, and risk management. His work includes trading in various industries: consumer products, agribusiness commodities, processed foods, chemicals, and industrial development. Diaa’s operational experience is global, covering the Middle East, Asia, South America, and Europe. Diaa is a native of Egypt and came to the U.S. in 2001.
2023 Georgia Family-Owned Small Business of the Year
Todd and Tonya Reed, Owners
Henry Plumbing Company
Todd and Tonya Reed are the owners of Henry Plumbing Company in Savannah, GA. The company performs commercial and residential projects consisting of new construction, remodels, and repairs. Henry Plumbing Company has been in business for 54 years servicing the low country of Georgia. Tonya and Todd Reed are the 3rd generation of the business, with their son and daughter in law, Tanner and Meghan Reed, joining to make them a successful 4th generation business. In the time of COVID19, Henry Plumbing Company was a Savannah Strong participant and early adapter to servicing homes during the pandemic. They also added more people to their workforce and provided ongoing job training for their employees, who they consider to be members of their extended family.
2023 Georgia Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year
Wilson Tomala, President
Paul Davis Restoration of North Atlanta
Wilson Tomala is the President of Paul Davis Restoration of North Atlanta, a general contracting firm that specializes in emergency services and reconstruction work for residential and commercial properties that experienced a natural or man-made disaster. Wilson and his family migrated from Ecuador to the U.S. in the mid 70’s. Eleven years ago, together with a group of Hispanic businesses, he created an Association that represented Hispanic Contractors, giving birth to the Georgia Hispanic Construction Association. His tenure started as vice-chair, then moved to the Chairman’s role where he served for three-years and continues as board member.
2023 Georgia Rural Small Business of the Year
Jimmy and Jennifer Cole, Owners
Coles Cakery
Jennifer and Jimmy are the owners of Coles Cakery, a bakery in Tifton, GA. The company specializes in custom cakes and serves a daily array of baked goods such as cupcakes, cookies, pies, tarts, Danishes, and cake pops. Jennifer and Jimmy met while attending seminary. In 2013, to generate extra income, they began making custom cakes from home. In 2018, an opportunity presented itself to purchase an established bakery in Tifton. As their home business had grown exponentially since its beginning, they moved forward with the purchase of the space, equipment and recipes while keeping their existing name of Cole’s Cakery.
2023 Georgia Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year
John Bostain, President
Command Presence, LLC
John Bostain is the President of Command Presence, LLC, which provides law enforcement training services. John has committed the last 23 years to law enforcement, 20 of which have been as a law enforcement trainer. He has presented nationally and internationally on contemporary law enforcement topics such as dynamics of officer/citizen encounters, use of force, human performance factors, and instructor development. In 2012, he became the recipient of the prestigious Trainer of the Year Award as selected by Law Officer Magazine. John is an Instructor Trainer (Core Instructor) for the Below 100 Program and is a member of the instructional staff of the BJA VALOR for Blue program. John is also an Advisory Board Member of the International Law Enforcement Educators.
2023 Georgia Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year
Latha Ravi, President
The Flying Locksmiths – South Atlanta
Latha Ravi is the President of The Flying Locksmiths – South Atlanta. The company offers proactive security solutions to mitigate building’s security risks and help commercial business to be more secure. Latha’s business provides consulting, installs, service, repairs, upgrades, maintenance, project management and more. The business solutions include doors, locks, keys, cameras, and access controls. Latha is very active in the local South Atlanta community, building and encouraging small business and entrepreneurs with local chambers. She is a board member of the Griffin Spalding chamber of commerce and United Way Spalding chapter. She is also a graduate of Newnan and Griffin Chamber Leadership class, and recently completed the 2022 Fayette Chamber Leadership program.
For more information about National Small Business Week, visit www.sba.gov/nsbw. For more information about SBA’s loan programs, financial assistance, and other services, visit http://www.sba.gov/ga/.
Co-sponsorship Authorization# 23-1-C The SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
