Business owner from Longview, Washington, honored by SBA, says firm

Joseph D. Lane, president of Pacific Tech Construction of Longview, Wash., was surprised and honored when he learned late last month that he was named the U.S. Small Business Administration's Minority Small Business Person of the Year for the Northwest.

Credit, Lane said, should go to his company.

It's not me that's winning, it's my company and the people that work here, Lane said. We have great people, and that's what makes us the great company that we are.

But Lane will have to accept at least some credit if he receives the national Minority Small Business Person of the Year award from SBA, for which, as one of 11 regional winners, he is now eligible.

The national winner will be selected from the 11 regional winners at an award presentation ceremony next week during the 23rd annual National Minority Enterprise Development Week celebration in Washington, D.C.

Lane will attend the event, but he'd rather focus be placed on his company instead of his chances of winning the national award.

When we started the company, we didn't expect it to be as big as it is now, said Lane of Pacific Tech, which now has a payroll of more than 100 people and offices in Florida and Hawaii to go along with its Longview home.

Lane attributes much of the company's success to customer service.

Our mission is to make our customers happy, Lane said.

According to Lane, Pacific Tech, which does 75 percent to 80 percent of its work on federal projects, has always placed a strong emphasis on good customer relations - something other companies don't necessarily think they need to do when working with government agencies, he said.

We don't just look at it as a government agency, Lane said. We try to serve their needs.

With that focus on customer services, Lane said, Pacific Tech has proven to be a successful enterprise over the years.

Everything's going pretty good right now, Lane said.

In addition to Lane, other regional winners include Robert L. Delhome of Wilmington, Mass.; Irving Aranda of San Juan, Puerto Rico; Debra Ruh of Rockville, Va.; Craig T. Williams of Norristown, Pa.; Allen R. Hines of Choctaw, Miss.; Jean Marie Thiel of West Bend, Wis.; Angel Renaldo Almodovar of Grand Prairie, Texas; Byron L. McIntosh of Kansas City; Lori Lynn Nevarez of Littleton, Colo.; and Cynthia A. Liu of Concord, Calif.

In addition to announcing its national minority business award winner next week, the SBA will present other awards including the SBA Administrator's Leadership award and the 8(a) Graduate Firm of the Year award, which Pacific Tech may have a chance at winning.

Lane turned to the SBA for assistance, becoming 8(a) certified in 2002, said SBA Regional Administrator Norm Proctor. As a participant of SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program, Lane received management and technical assistance, networking and federal contracting opportunities.

MED Week, held annually since 1983, recognizes minority businesses' contributions to the nation's economy.

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