First Lady Cecilia Abbott Honors 2016 Governor’s Small Business Award Winners
First Lady Cecilia Abbott was in El Paso today to talk about the important role that women, veteran and minority-owned small businesses play in the success of our state’s economy. The First Lady addressed the small business forum entitled “The Changing Face of our Workforce: New Challenges. New Roads. No Detours,” hosted by the Texas Governor’s Office, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. First Lady Abbott handed out the 2016 Governor’s Small Business Awards and honored the recipients.
"Texas is the country’s premier state for doing business, and small businesses have been leaders of that success,” the First Lady said. “Small businesses are crucial to our state’s economy, and with strong partners like the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, I know their numbers will continue to grow. Congratulations to the winners, and thank you for all that you do to make Texas the model for doing business.”
Six El Paso small business owners were awarded the 2016 Governor’s Small Business Award. Those winners are:
- Woman Business Owner: Yolanda Arriola, Southwest University
- Veteran Business Owner: Von Washington, IDA Technologies, LLC
- Baby Boomer Business Owner: Oscar Venegas, Venegas Engineering Management and Construction, Inc. (VEMAC, Inc.)
- Generation X Business Owner: Dan Longoria, Mattress Firm
- Millennial Business Owner: Cynthia Lopez, Lopez & Associates
- Rural Business Owner: Gabriel Subia, LGA Trucking
Today marked the first of 10 Governor's Small Business Forum events in 2016.