17 Valley Companies Receive Small Business Awards

Chosen by their peers for business accomplishments and community dedication, 17 Valley businesses were honored Friday with Small Business Awards at an event hosted by state Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar).

“All of these businesses have persevered through tough economic times, and I commend them for finding creative ways to make their businesses work and their communities better,” Katz said at the 13th annual awards breakfast at the Airtel Plaza Hotel. “It’s exactly this kind of initiative that will help the Valley continue to grow.”

The winners were nominated by their area chambers of commerce.

The honorees were Jose Gutierrez of California Nursery, nominated by the Arleta chamber; Michael Sirota of Woodland Printing, nominated by the Canoga Park-West Hills chamber; Hank Yuloff of Brown and Bigelow, nominated by the Encino chamber; Dan and Sue Moynahan of Carter House Copy and Printing Center, nominated by the Granada Hills chamber; Dave and Vicki Petty of Cal Toner, nominated by the Mid-Valley chamber; William J. McKinley of Utter McKinley Mission Hills Mortuary, nominated by the Mission Hills chamber, and C.K. Tseng of the Northridge Travel Service, nominated by the Northridge chamber.

Also honored were Andy and David Kolbe of Kolbe Honda, nominated by the Reseda chamber; Alex and Mirta Liberman of the Leaders Centro del Hogar, nominated by the San Fernando chamber; Phyllis Scher of Redi Quik Printing, nominated by the Sherman Oaks chamber; and Susan Frieder and Patti Hulberg of the Valley Gem Shop Inc., nominated by the Studio City chamber.

Other award winners were Marv and Judy Schmidt of Master Auto Parts, nominated by the Sun Valley chamber; Kevin Boyce of the Sunland K mart, nominated by the Sunland-Tujunga chamber; Frank and Mimi Gutierrez of Mifra Properties, nominated by the Sylmar chamber; tax consultant Nathan E. Kort, nominated by the Tarzana chamber; Kevin McCarney of the Poquito Mas restaurants, nominated by the Universal City-North Hollywood chamber, and Patricia Everett of Corporate Fine Art, nominated by the Woodland Hills chamber.