DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — In honor of National Small Business Week, representatives from the U.S. Small Business Association traveled to Dayton to celebrate local businesses and recent graduates of the 8(a) Business Development Program.
Protective Coatings, Inc., known as PCI, recently won the SBA's 2023 8(a) Alumni of the Year Award, making it the winner across the Great Lakes region, including Columbus and Ohio, as well as Michigan and Indiana. I did. , Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
8(a) Business Development Program was designed to help socially and economically disadvantaged and experienced small business owners gain the knowledge necessary to obtain federal contracts . Twenty-three percent of federal contracts must involve small businesses, and this program helps companies like PCI win government contract work.
“Thank you to the SBA for fighting for us to get a seat at the table on all of these projects. It really helped us out,” said CEO Kevin Conley.
Everett Woodell of the American Small Business Association points out that small businesses, not American businesses, create eight out of 10 jobs.
“This is the week we go out and recognize small businesses,” Woodell said.
PCI was founded in 1993 by Kevin Conley and his father. The company offers industrial coatings and paints and has expanded into carpentry, project management and construction services.
Commenting on the company's success, Chief Operating Officer Kaylee Lebo says its 25 employees make all the difference.
“We can't do our job without them,” Lebo said.
For more information about PCI, please visit the PCI website.
