2011 Entrepreneurs of the Year

Green Entrepreneur of the Year - Mario Garofalo, V. Garofalo Carting 

Female Entrepreneurs of the Year – Lori Wells and Lisa Reed, Café Mira

Exporters of the Year – Brian Lee & Ralph Erenzo, Tuthilltown Spirits

Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year –John Rainey, ERRA Surgical Supplies

Minority Entrepreneur of the Year – Dr. Fidel Briones, Healthy Pets Veterinary Services

Phoenix Award – Robert and Danielle Rosenberg, Moolala

Growth Business of the Year – Zilly Rosen, Zillycakes

Manufacturer of the Year – Tony O’Geen, Tony’s Canvas and Leather

Technology Entrepreneurs of the Year –Lauren Payne & Robert Clancy, Spiral Design

V. Garofalo Carting, Inc. is a family-owned business that has provided refuse collection services in Nassau and Suffolk County since 1965. Mario Garofalo was reared with an old school work ethic but his leadership has always been current and progressive, including hisdetermined efforts to protect the environment - especially the air we breathe. The Garofalo company slogan is “Think Green, Breathe Clean.” Mario lives up to this noble objective by using collection trucks that are fueled by natural gas, which reduce harmful emissions dramatically over conventional petroleum powered vehicles. The Stony Brook SBDC led discussions with lenders and municipalities throughout 2010, and the results of this  effort provided significant economic impact. Mario was able to purchase 23 new natural gas trucks at $296K each. In total, more than $6,816,000 in financing was acquired, and 20 new jobs were created. Mario intends to purchase land adjacent to his property to allow for further green expansion.

Lori Wells and Lisa Reed became employees at Café Mira in 2005. When the restaurant’s owners moved to Germany in 2008, they leased the business to Lori and Lisa. In April 2010, there was a fire in the restaurant caused by an electrical short in the dishwasher. With moral support from the community, Lori and Lisa ultimately decided to purchase the historic 1890s building and rebuild. They were referred to the Watertown SBDC for assistance with a business plan and to help secure funding. With the SBDC’s help, they finished their plan and obtained financing. Their investment, which exceeded $420,000, enabled Lori and Lisa to rehire 10 part-time employees. The refurbished restaurant reopened in November, 2010, seven months after the fire. The key to the duo’s success is the charm customers feel when they walk into the place. Café Mira offers special dinner offerings from 5-6 pm, a bar bistro menu, and a wine night event, all in an effort to serve the community that so generously helped Lori and Lisa in their time of need.

Exporters of the Year – Brian Lee & Ralph Erenzo, Tuthilltown Spirits [Mid-Hudson SBDC]

Brian Lee and Ralph Erenzo operate Tuthilltown Spirits - New York’s first whiskey distillery since Prohibition, which produces some of America’s most prized spirits in the Hudson Valley, located at the historic Tuthilltown Gristmill. They’ve come a long way since 2005, when they taught themselves how to make whiskey and vodka, producing their first batches of vodka from scraps they collected at a local apple slicing plant. The partners first consulted the Mid-Hudson SBDC in 2006 for assistance with financing, and have relied on it for help with many issues in the intervening years. In 2007, they started exporting to increase both visibility and cash flow. They currently sell to Australia, France, and Switzerland. Future plans include Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic and Asia. In 2010 the partners became affiliated with WT Grant and Sons, a well-known independent Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other spirits. Aligned with the distillers reputation and distribution, Brian and Ralph have embarked on a plan to expand and extend production and significantly increase product sales both nationally and internationally.

Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year –John Rainey, ERRA Surgical Supplies [Rockland SBDC]

John Rainey opened ERRA Surgical Supplies in November 2010, in an area of Manhattan known as Spanish Harlem. John’s proximity to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital makes him the closest surgical supply outfit to the h n and a few independent sales representatives. ERRA Surgical Supply has been welcomed into the neighborhood with open arms. As a lieutenant in the Army, John served his country with honor and dignity - attributes that permeate his being and have allowed him to serve the disabled with care and humility. John’s understanding of investment combined with his deep desire to help others who are less fortunate, along with the guidance of the Rockland SBDC, helped him achieve success and accomplish his goals.

Minority Entrepreneur of the Year – Dr. Fidel Briones, Healthy Pets Veterinary Services [Brooklyn SBDC]

Dr. Briones began his studies at the University of Autonomy de Puebla Mexico, and then migrated to the US in 1993 to pursue a DVM degree from Tuskegee University in Alabama. His transition from veterinary practice in Mexico to veterinary practice in the US took six years, and he worked as a veterinary assistant while preparing for the NYS  veterinary license exam. After obtaining his license, Dr. Briones worked at the Downtown Veterinary Clinic for five years before moving to the NYC Center for Animal Care & Control. In 2009, he left that job to open his own veterinary practice, Healthy Pets Veterinary Services in Brooklyn. He learned about the Brooklyn SBDC through an Olé event, and later consulted them for technical assistance with business planning, compliance, and financing options. His Business Advisor also provided guidance in market research and analysis, and industry trends. Healthy Pets provides complete veterinary care, and though it is fairly new to the Bay Ridge neighborhood, has quickly become a favorite of pet owners. Dr. Briones is a frequent attendee of events sponsored by the SBDC.

Phoenix Award – Robert and Danielle Rosenberg, Moolala [Farmingdale SBDC]

Moolala is Long Island’s first state of the art, self-serve yogurt café, or as Robert describes it, a salad bar for yogurt. The name “Moolala” was developed by the Rosenberg’s daughter, a design major at Drexel University. Moo is a reference to dairy, which is the main product, and Moolala sounds like 'ooh la la' which is French and means 'wow'. The Rosenbergs began exploring opportunities to start their own business when Robert lost his job as vice president of sales at a Manhattan wholesaler during the recession. Working together to overcome the impact of losing a job, the couple sought help from the Farmingdale SBDC’s C.W. Post outreach office. Their carefully prepared business plan, with cash flow projections and an impressive marketing strategy, convinced Robert Harder of M&T Bank’s Jericho Office that an SBA guaranteed term loan was appropriate. By early summer of ‘09, the ribbon was cut at Moolala. The business exceeded cash flow projections in its first year while creating 12 new jobs.

Growth Business of the Year – Zilly Rosen, Zillycakes [Buffalo SBDC]

After relocating to Buffalo, art educator Elizabeth “Zilly” Rosen traded her paint brushes for batter and frosting. She apprenticed herself at a local bakery and soon became the chief decorator of cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. While growing her employer’s business, she started working with Buffalo SBDC Advisor Cindi Thomason, who helped Zilly frame her vision. With Cindi’s guidance Zilly developed a business plan, and began to fully grasp the elements of running a business. Zilly raised about $45,000 and launched Zillycakes. She gained a lot of notoriety for her creation of an Election Day “cupcake portrait” of President Barak Obama containing 1,246 individual cupcakes that was featured in Time Magazine. That publicity led to a request from the Smithsonian Institution to do something for President’s Day – a creation consisting of 5,622 individual cupcakes featuring the faces of Presidents Obama and Lincoln. Recently a publisher asked her to do a book, and she also participated in a show called Food Network Challenge, scheduled to air in June. Throughout the growth of her business, Zilly has continued to work with the SBDC and now has 15 employees.

Manufacturer of the Year –Tony O’Geen, Tony’s Canvas and Leather  [Canton SBDC]

Tony O’Geen started Tony’s Canvas & Leather from his home in Massena, NY in 2001. With his son involved in local High School hockey, Tony realized there was a real demand for sports equipment repair and that no one in the North Country region was offering the service. He traveled to Montreal to learn the art of re-palming hockey gloves from Eagle Hockey and began posting flyers in the area’s arenas and sports facilities. Tony’s grass roots efforts paid off and he quickly expanded his offerings to manufacturing and repair of all variety of sports bags and equipment. He soon began repairing hockey equipment for local colleges, including SUNY Canton, Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam and St. Lawrence University. Today, Tony’s Canvas and Leather has an impressive menu of services worthy of his slogan, “You Rip It, I’ll Stitch It.” He works on leather saddle bags, boat and trailer covers, tack repair and shoe repair. He also creates custom printed and embroidered apparel, fire bags, hunting bags, signs and banners.

Technology Entrepreneurs of the Year – Lauren Payne & Robert Clancy, Spiral Design [Albany SBDC]

More than 20 years ago, Lauren Payne and Robert Clancy founded Spiral Design Studio to utilize creativity and the latest technology to create marketing and communications solutions for customers. Spiral Design’s strengths lie in its ability to deliver a full range of graphic design services that encompass corporate branding, print marketing, website development, content management solutions, digital sound design and DVD/interactive media development. Currently the company is immersed in the electronic gaming industry and developing “apps” for the iPhone and Facebook. Spiral Design has been an SBDC client through the startup phase, building years, and the recent expansion. Its staff has created web-based game community sites for products such as Guitar Hero, Transformers, and Tony Hawk American Sk8land. Organizations as diverse as Citibank, Disney, Activision, Albany Molecular Research, the NYS Dental Association, and the Albany Symphony Orchestra depend on Spiral Design’s superior media development skills to create strong branding and visibility to showcase their products and services nationally and internationally. Throughout the firm’s growth Robert and Lauren have retained a fervent commitment to community and are actively involved in supporting charitable organizations.