Cabot business, APEX Accelerator client, earns Small Business Administration recognition
By the U of A System Division of Agriculture
May 24, 2019
Fast facts
- SBA honors April Broderick as Arkansas Business Person of the Year
- Broderick owns A&A Fire and Safety Co., in Sherwood
- Broderick is Arkansas APEX Accelerator client
(281 words)
(Download this story in MS Word format here.)
LITTLE ROCK – A Cabot business that’s a client of Arkansas APEX Accelerator has been named 2019 Small Business Person of the Year for Arkansas by the federal Small Business Administration.
April Broderick, majority owner/president of A&A Fire and Safety Company in Sherwood,
accepted her award during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., May 5-6, during National Small Business Week. She was recognized in Arkansas on May 14.
SBA uses the award to recognize owners of small businesses who represent the nation’s strong entrepreneurial spirit and rich diversity.
“I felt extremely honored to be selected as the recipient for the 2019 small business person of the year award,” Broderick said. “I know this award is very much a reflection of the accumulative contributions from everyone within our company.”
The mission of Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center, or Arkansas APEX Accelerator, is to help grow small businesses in Arkansas by gaining government contract work. Arkansas APEX Accelerator is based within the Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“APEX Accelerator was instrumental in guiding A&A into the complicated realm of government contracting,” Broderick said. “The input I received from APEX Accelerator has certainly impacted our ability to achieve this sustained growth and success. I will forever be grateful to all of the staff who so willingly helped me with our achievements!”
“There are 30 million small businesses across the nation and we are so excited for Broderick to be selected for this honor and be recognized among the nation’s top small businesses,” said Melanie Berman, Arkansas APEX Accelerator director. “Congratulations to Broderick and A&A on this milestone.”
Since 2001, Arkansas APEX Accelerator has helped more than 6,200 small businesses land $1.3 billion in contract work.
Connect with our Arkansas APEX Accelerator counselors at 501-671-2390 to learn how you can expand your business into new areas. To learn more about APEX Accelerator, visit http://www.uaex.uada.edu/APEX Accelerator.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
# # #
Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu