22nd Annual State Agency Recognition Awards

Departments that achieved 30% or more small business participation and 5% or more disabled veteran business participation were recognized with a Notable Achievement award.

The winners:

Aging, Department of

Air Resources Board

Conservation Corps, California

Consumer Affairs, Department of

Diagnostic Centers

Education Audit Appeals Panel

Education, Department of

Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Office of

Environment Protection Agency

Financial Protection and Innovation, Department of

Franchise Tax Board

General Services, Department of, (Disability Access, California Commission of)

Health Care Services, State Department

High‐Speed Rail Authority

Horse Racing Board

Industrial Relations, Department of

Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission

Military Department

Motor Vehicles, Department of

Pesticide Regulation, Department of

San Francisco Bay Conservation Commission

School for the Blind

School for the Deaf‐‐Riverside

Secretary of State

Sierra Nevada Conservancy

State Board of Equalization

Toxic Substances Control, Department of

Veterans Affairs, Department of

Victims Compensation Board

Water Resources Control Board, State

CSU Los Angeles (Voluntary Dept)

Presented by Cyrita Pacheco, Certification Manager and Teresa Macias-Ruiz, Business Outreach Liaison, Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise, Department of General Services.

The departments that made the largest increase in their small business or disabled veteran business enterprise participation percentage from fiscal year 2019-20 to 2020-21, while also achieving at least 25% small business or 3% DVBE participation, were recognized with a Most Improved award. The award was given to five departments based on the sizes of the departments and broken down by small business participation and DVBE participation.

Most Improved Small Business Participation Winners

Extra Small Agency (under $250,000)

Education Audit Appeals Panel

Participation rose from 11.02% to 86.65%

Small Agency ($250,000 - $2 million)

Transportation Commission, California

Participation rose from 7.47% to 83.31%

Medium Agency ($2 million - $20 million)

Tahoe Conservancy, California

Participation rose from 20.95% to 86.26%

Large Agency ($20 million - $50 million)

Housing and Community Development, Department of

Participation rose from 33.42% to 59.02%

Extra Large Agency (over $50 million)

High‐Speed Rail Authority

Participation rose from 1.68% to 32.13%

Most Improved DVBE Participation Winners

Extra Small Agency (under $250,000)

Education Audit Appeals Panel
Participation rose from 3.15% to 86.65%

Small Agency ($250,000 - $2 million)

Delta Stewardship Council

Participation rose from 5.13% to 27.02%

Medium Agency ($2 million - $20 million)

Human Resources, Department of

Participation rose from 1.55% to 7.07%

Large Agency ($20 million - $50 million)

Secretary of State

Participation rose from 3.11% to 6.04%

Extra Large Agency (over $50 million)

Public Utilities Commission

Participation rose from 6.24% to 16.08%

Presented by Norma Curiel, Certification Manager, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, Department of General Services.

Presented by the California Department of Veterans Affairs, this award was presented to an individual and a business. The individual award goes to a disabled veteran who is a champion of the disabled veteran business enterprise program. The business award goes to a disabled veteran-owned business that works with the state and supports veteran entrepreneurs.

Winners:

       Individual Excellence     

              Jack Smith

               CEO, Fortuna: Business Management Consulting

               Business Excellence

               Veterans in Business Network

Presented by Keith Boylan, Deputy Secretary, Veteran Services, Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Green Awards are given to agencies who have met their small business and DVBE goals while proving their commitment to Environmentally Preferable Purchasing. The Green Awards consider Environmentally Preferable Purchasing data, participation in the Performance and Environmental Standards workgroup, and the number of purchasing officials that have taken EPP training.

The winners are:

Gold     

Department of Transportation

Silver    

Department of Justice

Bronze 

Department of Parks and Recreation

Honorary Mention         

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

Presented by Mark Wriston, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Supervisor, Department of General Services.

This award recognizes three SB/DVBE advocates throughout the state of California for exemplary work and success through outreach efforts, performance measurements and notable improvements with a gold, silver and bronze award.

The winners:

Gold 
Nina Martinez 
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)

Silver 
Kathryn Hill 
Department of General Services (DGS)

Bronze  
Ramon Rivera 
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)

 
Presented by Jamie Jones, Chief of Veteran and Community Engagement, Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Agency of the Year Award honors a state agency or department for their best practices, creativity and outstanding achievements to advance the state’s small business and DVBE programs. This year's winner demonstrated their commitment and success across the areas of outreach efforts, performance measurements and notable improvements.

The winner:

              Department of Transportation

Presented by Anda Draghici, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services Branch Chief, Department of General Services.

This award celebrates organizations that recognize and honor the state’s small business and DVBE programs. These organizations, mostly counties, cities, transportation agencies, utilities, and other local municipalities are reciprocity partners of the state of California. Their efforts, although outside of state government, also benefit the small business and DVBE communities.

The winner:

              Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)

Presented by Demeshia Swanson, Business Outreach Program Manager, Office of Small Business and Disable Veteran Business Enterprise, Department of General Services.

This award is in memory of Angel Carrera Jr., Chief of the Certification and Outreach Branch at DGS who passed away in 2019. The award recognizes and celebrates a leader in state procurement who, like Angel, supports small businesses and DVBEs in state procurement and is a tremendous leader.

The winner:

              Maribel Garcia 
              Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)

Presented by Angela Shell, Deputy Director, Procurement Division, Department of General Services.

This award is given to the state department, agency or individual whose best practices, innovation and advocacy efforts have allowed them to go above and beyond in exceeding the state’s small business and disabled veteran business enterprise contracting goals.

The winner:

                Rose Skewis 
                California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet)

Presented by Amy Tong, Secretary, Government Operations Agency.

This award honors the state agency or department that best demonstrates excellence and innovation in providing contracting opportunities to small businesses and disabled veterans business enterprises. It is a prestigious honor given to the department or agency that models a superior standard to which other state departments can aspire.

Winner:

              California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet)

Presented by Tara Lynn Gray, Director, Office of the Small Business Advocate, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.