LORETTO - A Huntingdon County businessman will be honored June 9 as Small Business Person of the Year by the St. Francis University Small Business Development Center.
Richard Endres Jr., president of E.B. Endres Inc., Huntingdon, will receive the award at the SBDC's annual awards luncheon at the university.
E.B. Endres Inc., which was started in 1928, specializes in millwork and cabinetry for schools, hospitals, cafeterias, convenience stores and team lockers.
"The small business person of the year is an award where we look at someone who has exhibited good growth in their business and has done so in spite of the challenges presented to the business," Ed Huttenhower, SBDC director, said. "Mr. Endres is someone who has done that by shifting the focus of his business in the last few years to keep the business successful despite challenging economic times."
Endres said the award was special to him because he had taken MBA courses at St. Francis. He credited his teachers at SFU - in particular Dennis McIlnay, who taught a business organization and management class - for helping him with his career.
"I had a lot of good teachers. Dennis McIlnay taught me how to run a small business. He gave me a footprint how to think about things," Endres said. "He was an excellent teacher."
Others to be honored at the luncheon include:
- Eileen B. Melvin of United Metal Fabricators Inc., Johnstown, small business exporter of the year.
- Devin Mullen of Your Jewelry Box LLC, Altoona, young entrepreneur of the year.
- Paul Cooney of Altoona-Blair County Development Corp., financial services advocate of the year.
- Deb Toothman, an independent Longaberger branch leader of McConnellsburg, women in business advocate of the year.
- State Sen. John Wozniak, D-Cambria, the Richard Crawford Award given to an area legislator who has made significant contributions to the small business community and the economic development of the region served by the SBDC.
