Awards

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AWARDS/jb/10inches/1stjc/mark2nd

Aaron and Teresita Sayes, who launched a small medical services firm in Covina that has revenues of more than $1 million annually, were named Small Business Persons of the Year in a regional competition sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The couple started New Age Pulmonary Diagnostics in 1991 with a $400,000 SBA loan, providing respiratory services to medical patients on a contract basis.

The Sayes left careers as a respiratory therapist and certified nurse at Kaiser Permanente to open up shop in a 250-square foot office.

The company now posts revenues of more than $1 million, and recently moved into 4,550-square-foot offices in Covina.

The SBA each year honors successful small businesses in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Awards will be presented during a June 6 ceremony to coincide with Small Business Week.

“These winners not only launched successful businesses, but did so by overcoming great odds,” said Alberto Alvarado, Los Angeles SBA district director.

Other winners include:

– Carolyn Fox, owner of a CPA firm, won for the accountancy category. Her firm is located in Encino.

– David Wang, who works for Far East National Bank in Los Angeles, was given the financial services award. He was acknowledged for leadership in providing assistance to export companies that deal with small business ventures in Central and East Los Angeles.

– Nelson Davis, creator of the television show “Making It! Minority Success Stories,” won for the media category. The show highlights minority owned companies and entrepreneurs. His company Nelson Davis Television Productions is located in Los Angeles.

– John Bryant, who operates Los Angeles-based Operation Hope, won in the minority category. Operation Hope is a non-profit investment banking network that helps find capital for new businesses in the inner city.

Joe Bel Bruno

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