SBDC at WNMU Advisor wins Statewide Award

Category: Community News Community News
Published: 09 May 2018 09 May 2018

SILVER CITY, N.M., May 8, 2018 — Mario LaFragola, Business Advisor at the Small Business Development Center at WNMU, was recognized last week as New Mexico's Financial Services Champion by the U.S. Small Business Administration New Mexico District Office.

The award was presented at breakfast ceremony at Albuquerque's Sandia Golf Club on May 2, hosted by the SBA, the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and the New Mexico Small Business Development Center Network.

"I think that the award is reflective of the network working as a team. I try to take the knowledge I have and share it through the network to help everyone get money, and that's what most of the people in the network need," LaFragola said. "By working together we can do so much."

Mr. LaFragola joined the SBDC at WNMU in March 2016. He heads up the SBDC satellite office in Deming located at the WNMU Deming campus at the Mimbres Valley Learning Center.

Mario LaFragola graduated from NMSU with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Technology and a M.B.A. in management and enjoyed a career in banking before coming to the SBDC.

Since 2008, LaFragola has served on the Board of Directors for the Deming-Luna County Economic Development Corporation (DLCEDC), as well as the Deming Arts Council and Deming MainStreet. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Revolving Loan Fund development committee for DLCEDC.

Several New Mexicans were also honored at the breakfast. Other 2018 New Mexico winners included:

2018 New Mexico Small Business Person of the Year: Jasper Riddle, president of Noisy Water Winery and Cellars, Ruidoso

2018 National Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: Christopher Weil, president of Weil Construction Inc., Albuquerque

New Mexico Legacy Award: Debbi Moore, president and CEO, Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, Las Cruces

Entrepreneurial Success Award: Eric C. Quintana, CEO, Performance Maintenance Inc., Española

Family-Owned Small Business: Anthony D. Trujillo, president and CEO, John Santoru, vice president, HOLMANS USA, Albuquerque

Home-Based Business: Nina Yozell-Epstein, founder and director, Squash Blossom Local Food Inc., Santa Fe

Minority-Owned Small Business: Billy Ortega, president, ORCOM, Los Lunas.

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