Christine Dodson, left, andSascha Mayer at the Mamava location in Burlington International Airport. Photo by Matthew Thorsen.
by Dan Monahan, SBA The owners of a Burlington company were named the 2018 Vermont Small Business Persons of the Year Monday. Sascha Mayer and Christine Dodson of Mamava are being recognized by the US Small Business Administration for employment growth, financial success, expansion and community involvement. Mamava designs and manufactures free-standing lactation suites for nursing mothers.
Mayer and Dodson will be presented their award during the 2018 Vermont Small Business Awards Ceremony cohosted by Vermont Business Magazine in June. The ceremony is open to the public and registration will be available in May.
The idea for Mamava came to light in 2006 after Mayer read an article in the New York Times about the difficulties many nursing mothers face when they return to work. At the time she was a nursing mother who could relate to the challenges mothers face sometimes having to pump breast milk in bathrooms, cars and other undesirable locations. Dodson, Mayer's co-worker at JDK Design, had experienced the same difficulties. They decided there had to be a better way and the idea for Mamava was hatched.
For several years, Mamava was mostly just an idea, lovingly incubated at the design studio where Mayer and Dodson continued to be employed full-time. It wasn't officially established until 2013 when Mamava placed the first prototype in Burlington International Airport. The first two years was a bit of a struggle as many startups are in those infant years.
However, in 2015 Mamava really started to take off. Since then the company has tripled its sales and placed 435 suites in airports, stadiums, convention centers, hospitals, schools, zoos and private businesses throughout the US.
The company hired its first full-time employee in 2015, obtained an SBA microloan from Community Capital of Vermont and won the 2015 InnovateHER VT Challenge.
Today the company has 16 full-time and three part-time employees and expects to hire six more full-time employees in 2018.
Active in the community, Mayer and Dodson donate to the Vermont Women's Fund, Girls Nite Out, and are members of the Main Street Alliance. Mamava has partnered with other organizations to donate lactation suites to airports, a zoo, a school and a public health department.
"Christine and I were thrilled to receive the official letter from the SBA regarding our selection as the Vermont Small Business Person of the Year. However there is more than one person involved in this business. Mamava owes its success to many people. We would not be here without investors, family, friends and our incredible staff," said Mayer.
"Sascha and Christine are very deserving of this award. They have taken a passion and turned it into a thriving business selling hundreds of Mamava pods across the U.S." said Darcy Carter, SBA Vermont District Office Director.
Mamava and the Small Business Person of the Year winners from each state have been invited to attend ceremonies in Washington, D.C. April 29 to 30. During this time they will be honored with their individual award along with the naming of the 2018 National Small Business Person of the Year.
For more information, visit www.mamava.com.
NATIONAL WINNERS (see full list below)
On Monday, Administrator Linda McMahon, the head of the US Small Business Administration in Washington, announced this year's Small Business Person of the Year winners from the 50 states, theDistrict of ColumbiaandPuerto Rico. All of the winners have been invited to attend ceremonies inWashington, DC, onApril 29-30, where they will be honored with their individual award along with special recognition of the three runners-up and the naming of the2018 National Small Business Person of the Year. Vermont's Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc won the national award in 1988, which was presented to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield by President Reagan at the White House.
"It is my honor and distinct pleasure to announce the 52 winners from across the US andPuerto Rico," McMahon said. "These small business owners define entrepreneurial spirit and best represent the 30 million small businesses that are the backbone and economic engine of our economy. I look forward to welcoming the winners to Washington next month when they are officially honored for their achievements."
Each year since 1963, the president has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of National Small Business Week. National Small Business Week is set as the first week in May, and this year the dates areApril 29– May 5.
After the national awards ceremony inWashington, D.C.McMahon will continueNational Small Business Weekwith a bus road show starting inJacksonville, Fla.and then continue on toSouth Carolinaand North Carolina. Each stop she will meet with small business owners, visit small businesses and hold roundtable discussions. Additionally, virtual events, recognition and educational opportunities throughout SBA's 10 Regions and 68 Districts will be held throughout the week.
2018 STATE SMALL BUSINESS PERSONS OF THE YEAR
ALABAMA
Charles W. Underwood II
Owner
C & R Movers, LLC
Montgomery, AL36110
ALASKA
Lori Brewer
President
Caffe D'arteAlaska/Alaska Coffee & Restaurant Equipment
Anchorage, AK99518
ARIZONA
Dirck Theodor Schou
President and CEO
Catalina China, Inc.
Dba HF Coors
Tucson, AZ85713
ARKANSAS
Joe Saumweber
Co-Founder & CEO
Michael Paladino
Co-Founder & CTO
RevUnit LLC
Bentonville, AR
CALIFORNIA
Matthew Cohen
Chief Executive Officer
Off the Grid Services, LLC
San Francisco, CA94123
COLORADO
Margot Langstaff
Managing Partner – Marjority Owner
Elisa Jane Hamill
Managing Partner – Co-Owner
LifeHealth
Littleton, CO80123
CONNECTICUT
April Marie Lukasik
President
Bright & Early Children's Learning Centers
North Branford, CT06471
DELAWARE
Kim Adams
President and CEO
Mountain Consulting, Inc.
Dover, DE19904
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Denita R. Conway
President and CEO
PROVEN Management, LLC
Washington, DC20001
FLORIDA
Michael Zaffaroni
Owner
Fernandina Mulch& Stone, LLC
Dba Liberty Landscape Supply
Fernandina Beach, FL32034
GEORGIA
Peter Andrews Dugas
President and CFO
Tonya Barr Dugas
CEO
Dusoul Company
Dba Technical Services Audio Visual
Athens, GA30606
HAWAII
Reginald G. Perry
Managing Manager
Barbers Point Aviation Services, LLC
Kapolei, HI96707
IDAHO
September Myres
President and CEO
Sundance Consulting, Inc.
Pocatello, ID83201
ILLINOIS
Rebecca Fyffe
President
ABC Humane Wildlife Control & Prevention, Inc.
Dba Landmark Pest Mgmt
Schaumburg, IL60173
INDIANA
Michele Durante Meyer
President and CEO
Creative Solutions Consulting, Inc.
(CSCI Consulting)
Indianapolis, IN46216
IOWA
Bob Simpson, President
Big River Packaging
Clinton, IA52732
KANSAS
David Sasson
President & CEO
OverstockArt.com
Wichita, KS67211
KENTUCKY
Lesme Romero
Owner/Manager
EZ Foods, Inc.
Dba Lexington Pasta/Lexington Pasta Garage
Lexington, KY40505
LOUISIANA
Keith Porta
Managing Member
APC Construction, LLC
Harvey, LA70058
MAINE
Beth Shissler
President and COO
Donald Oakes
CEO
Sea Bags, LLC
Portland, ME04101
MARYLAND
Tamara Michele Beideman
Owner
Elizabeth Jane, Inc.
Dba Sweet Elizabeth Jane
Ellicott City, MD21043
MASSACHUSETTS
Joseph Melville
Gary Melville
Owners
Melville Candy Corporation
Randolph, MA02368
MICHIGAN
Albert F. Zehnder
CEO
Zehnder's ofFrankenmuth
Frankenmuth, MI48734
MINNESOTA
Brenda Kay Nolby
CEO
Jam Hops Gymnastics Factory, Inc.
Ham Lake, MN55304
MISSISSIPPI
Barbara Alamsha
Tim Alamsha
Owners/Operators
Ear Candie Productions, LLC
Dba Rock U 2
Ocean Springs, MS39564
MISSOURI
Melissa Ann Smith, DDS
Managing Dentist and Owner/Operator
Washington Smiles Complete Health Dentistry
Washington, MO63090
MONTANA
Charles "Skip" King
Owner
King's Ace Hardware
Billings, MT59102
NEBRASKA
Mark Anthony Santo
Mark VII Enterprises, Inc.
Omaha, NE68131
NEVADA
Medhi Zarhloul
Founder & CEO
Crazy Pita Rotisserie & Grill
Henderson, NV89052
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mark Wentworth
President & CEO
Green View Technologies, Inc.
Rollinsford, NH03869
NEW JERSEY
Richard C. Spanier
President and CEO
Rudolph Research Analytical
Hackettstown, NJ07840
NEW MEXICO
Jasper Dutch Riddle
President/Winemaker
Noisy Water Winery & Cellars
Ruidoso, NM88345
NEW YORK
Snehal (Raj) Dayanidham Thakkar
Founder & CEO
Charter School Business Management, Inc.
Dba FOREsight Financial Services for Good
New York, NY10001
NORTH CAROLINA
Andrew Michael Matroni
Founder and CEO
Innovation Catering, Inc.
Dba Queen City Catering
Charlotte, NC28208
NORTH DAKOTA
Kari Marie Weigel
Executive Director/Owner
Sylvan Learning Center
Bismarck, ND58503
OHIO
David S. Nolan
President/CEO
Quality Control Services LLC
Cleveland, OH44114
OKLAHOMA
Tracy Lynn Evans
Owner and CEO
Woodward Wellness Center, LLC
Woodward, OK73801
OREGON
Matt Higgins
Owner
Coava Coffee Roasters, Inc.
Portland, OR97214
PENNSYLVANIA
William A. Campbell
CEO
Water Treatment Services
Dba First Defense Operations Management
Monroeville, PA15146
PUERTO RICO
Alex Gomez
President
Tijuana'sBar & Grill Corp.
San Juan, Puerto Rico00909
RHODE ISLAND
Kelly Beth Mendell
President
MIKEL, Inc.
Middletown, RI02842
SOUTH CAROLINA
Ronald David McNeil
CEO
Hannah Solar Government Services
Charleston, SC29492
SOUTH DAKOTA
Kevin Nyberg
President/CEO
Nyberg's Ace Hardware, Inc.
Sioux Falls, SD57105
TENNESSEE
Joseph Powers
Owner
Green Cube Solutions
Blountville, TN37617
TEXAS
Von C. Washington Sr.
President and CEO
IDA Technology
El Paso, TX79905
UTAH
Paul Casper Merrill
CEO/President
Casper's Ice Cream, Inc.
Dba Fatboy Ice Cream, Inc.
Richmond, UT84333
VERMONT
Sascha Mayer
CEO, Co-Founder
Christine Dodson
COO, Co-Founder
Mamava, Inc.
Burlington, VT05401
VIRGINIA
David S. Kyle II
President/Chief Executive Officer
Trademasters Service Corporation
Lorton, VA22079
WASHINGTON
Danny House
Owner
Dan The Sausageman
Burien, WA98166
WEST VIRGINIA
Douglas Tate
President & CEO
Alpha Technologies, Inc.
Hurricane, WV25526
WISCONSIN
Miles Harter
CEO
Curt Greeno
President
Dynamic Recycling
Onalaska, WI54650
WYOMING
Tyler Reed Miller
President
Earth Work Solutions
Gillette, WY82717
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and is a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses, and recover from disasters. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughoutthe United States,Puerto Rico, theU.S. Virgin IslandsandGuam. To learn more about SBA, visitwww.sba.gov.
SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration 3.12.2018 www.sba.gov