SBA Awards Arizona Entrepreneurs as 2019 Small Business Persons of the Year
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration recognized and awarded this year’s Small Business Person of the Year, Jennifer Herbert (CEO) and Jeff Herbert (CSO) of Superstition Meadery, LLC from Arizona, during the 2019 National Small Business Week ceremony in Washington, D.C.
“It is my honor to announce that Jennifer and Jeff Herbert of Superstition Meadery, LLC from Arizona are this year’s national Small Business Persons of the Year,” said Acting SBA Administrator Chris Pilkerton. “Thanks to SBA financial and counseling assistance, this outstanding firm successfully grew their business, increasing their revenue by more than 160% between 2015 and 2017, expanded their staff from nine to 20 employees and extended their reach into international markets. Jennifer and Jeff truly represent the best of our nation’s small businesses.”
Superstition Meadery, based in Prescott, Arizona, has been producing unique meads and cider since 2012. Jeff Herbert got his first taste of the possibilities of creating new flavors of Mead, an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey, after taking a brewery course at Chicago’s Seibel Institute. Jeff and Jennifer founded Superstition Meadery in 2012, and that year they produced 300 gallons of mead and cider in a 20 square-foot space. Fruit, herbs, spices and barrel aging are the basics of mead production, a beverage that has been enjoyed across cultures around the world going back 4,000 years.
“I am pleased to see how the SBA assisted Jennifer and Jeff to expand on their idea and grow their business in a unique market,” Pilkerton said. “Entrepreneurs’ skills and creativity not only support their own families, but they also make our neighborhoods and cities vibrant places to live and work. Small businesses fuel our overall economic strength, and the SBA is proud to help empower their success. Congratulations to Jennifer and Jeff, and to our other finalists!”
As part of the 2019 National Small Business Week events in Washington, D.C., Acting SBA Administrator Pilkerton recognized and awarded all the state and territorial winners, as well as small business owners and industry leadersfor excellence in entrepreneurship, exporting, federal contracting, lending and disaster recovery.
In addition to the national Small Business Person of the Year, two runners-up were recognized:
