Third-generation transportation provider garners state award
As Published In: The Henderson Press
Thirty-year-old Henderson business ran by women named Small Business Person of the Year
When the U.S. Small Business Administration handed out its 2012 state awards, Specialty Vehicles Inc., a 30-year-old Henderson-based company that provides a diversified line of transportation vehicles, was on its list.
SVI, a women-owned business for two generations, was chosen to be the recipient of the Small Business Person of the Year award. SVI was nominated by TMC Financing, a certified development company that provides financing for small businesses in Nevada and California.
“We are very excited to be the recipient of this award,” said Leah Munoz, the president of SVI. “Working with the SBA has been a great experience, and this is probably the most prestigious award that our company has ever received.”
The SVI executive management team, which also includes founder and chief executive officer, Nancy Munoz, and secretary, Rachel Drenk, recently celebrated the honor amongst the other SBA award recipients. The festivities were held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Washington, D.C., during National Small Business Week, May 20-22.
SVI, a family-owned, third-generation business, is run by Nancy, who founded the company in California. She later relocated the business to Nevada and established its offices at 440 Mark Leany Drive in Henderson by 2003.
According to its CEO, the relocation of SVI to Nevada was instrumental in the continued growth of the company.
“Establishing market share in industries like eco-tourism and luxury travel has been a key element to our success, since moving to Nevada,” she said. “With a lower overhead and partners like TMC Financing, we can continue to grow upward and outward.”
TMC recently approved and funded an SBA 504 loan for SVI to purchase a 6,800-square-foot building on a 1.15-acre parcel of land located at 961 Empire Mesa Way, southeast of North Gibson Road and Galleria Drive.
Munoz also said that her company is thrilled and honored with the support it has received from TMC, and that SVI plans to expand its current distribution and marketing operations, which they say would create 10 new jobs in Henderson.
“We are log-jammed at our existing facility,” she said. “We needed a much larger area to ship and receive vehicles. The new facility, with a large dock and a dock-high loading ramp will save us thousands of dollars each year in towing fees alone. The new facility will help us to do more to meet the needs of our clients.”
“TMC proudly nominated the executive team at SVI for this prestigious award for its sustained growth and success and for the contribution it is making to the economy,” said Barbara Morrison, president and CEO of TMC, who heaped praise on SVI.
“SVI has helped to create more than 120 jobs for the trusted manufacturers who build the specialty trolleys, trams, electric vehicles and buses it provides.”
Drenk said she thoroughly enjoyed participating in the SBA conference in Washington. D.C.
“I just got back from D.C., and it was a pleasure to be with other small businesses,” she said. “We are grateful and honored to receive this award. It backs all of the hard work we have done. Being recognized in this way has been amazing.”
The mission of SVI is to deliver the most diversified portfolio of people-moving equipment in the world.