Two Local Businesses Win West Texas Small Business Awards

CONTACT: Gina Woodward, 806-651-5151, gina@wtsbdc.com

CANYON, Texas – Two local businesses are recipients of annual awards presented by the Small Business Administration’s West Texas District on May 2. The nominations were jointly submitted by America’s SBDC at West Texas A&M University, the WT Enterprise Center, and the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation.

The 2022 West Texas Small Business Person of the Year is Kim May with Nobox Creative, LLC, located in Amarillo, Texas. Nobox Creative is a full-service marketing and advertising agency, serving the entire Texas Panhandle with a focus on local government campaigns and nonprofit agencies. May’s dedication to the local community set her apart from applicants across West Texas.

The business began in a 400 square foot office space and has quadrupled its space since 2017.  May spends her days working alongside her staff and leading by example to get the messy, hard work done.  She has a long relationship with the SBDC and was a 2014 recipient of $100k in the Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge, hosted by the WT Enterprise Center and Amarillo EDC.

The 2022 Exporter of the Year is Buffalo Technology Group Products including staff Benton Allen, Paige Dodge, Dr. Emily Hunt and Trent Kelly, with operations in Canyon.

BTG Products is an antimicrobial solutions company that manufactures and markets an antimicrobial technology. It was developed at WT as a Department of Defense project led by Hunt, dean and professor of mechanical engineering in WT’s College of Engineering and president of BTG Products. BTG has played an instrumental role in the fight against COVID-19 in the United States as well as Canada through their exporting partnerships.

In 2009, as a faculty member and researcher at WT, Hunt developed an idea to protect soldiers and citizens from deadly biological weapons. She was awarded funding from the National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Defense to pursue this antimicrobial research. Hunt developed the working prototype, which the U.S. Department of Defense subsequently adopted for military breathing masks. The company has subsequently developed additional antimicrobial products that are now sold commercially.

“We are elated that both Kim and the team at Buffalo Technology Group are being recognized for their hard work,” said Gina Woodward of the WT Small Business Development Center and WT Enterprise Center. “Both winners have done so much to give back to our community, and these awards have been earned many times over.”

Nationwide, Small Business Week is celebrated this year from May 2 to 5, and these awards are given in conjunction with the week’s celebrations.

“I wish to congratulate this year’s Small Business Week winners and extend my most sincere appreciation to our local small businesses for helping to build a better America and a better West Texas through entrepreneurship,” said Calvin Davis, SBA’s West Texas district director.

Photo: Kim May of Nobox Creative, left, and Buffalo Technology Group Products—represented by Varatharaj Varatharaj, instructor in West Texas A&M University's College of Engineering, second from right—were awarded 2022 West Texas Small Business Person of the Year and 2022 Exporter of the Year, respectively, by America's SBDC at WT. Also pictured are Gina Woodward, second from left, regional director of America's SBDC at WT; and Calvin Davis, district director of Small Business Administration West Texas District.

About America’s SBDC at WTAMU and the WT Enterprise Center

America’s SBDC at WTAMU and the WT Enterprise Center are located in Amarillo and are departments of the Paul & Virginia Engler College of Business at West Texas A&M University. Through a joint effort, they provide a wide variety of services that empower entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Texas Panhandle to start, grow, and excel in business.

—WT—