24th Annual State Agency Recognition Awards

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

The winners are:

• Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board  
• Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy  
• Department of Conservation  
• Diagnostic Centers  
• California Gambling Control Commission
• Department of Housing and Community Development 
• Office of the Inspector General  
• Department of Insurance  
• California State Library  
• California Military Department
• Department of Motor Vehicles  
• Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety 
• Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training  
• Department of Pesticide Regulation  
• Department of Real Estate 
• Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery  
• San Diego River Conservancy   
• School for the Blind 
• School for the Deaf – Fremont  
• Secretary of State
• Department of Social Services  
• Board of State and Community Corrections  
• Department of State Hospitals  
• Commission on State Mandates 
• Department of Technology
• Department of Toxic Substances Control  
• Department of Veterans Affairs  
• California Victims Compensation Board  
• State Water Resources Control Board  
• California Wildlife Conservation Board

Presented by Rosa Del Buono, Training & Development Manager, and Marta Carrera, Certification Manager, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, Department of General Services.

The departments that made the largest increase in their small business or disabled veteran business enterprise participation percent from Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 to FY 2022-23, while also achieving at least 25 percent small business or 3 percent 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 

California Cannabis Control Appeals Panel
Extra Small Agency (under $250,000)
Participation rose from 0 percent to 93.02 percent.

Department of Community Services and Development
Small Agency ($250,000 - $2 million)
Participation rose from 17.60 percent to 90.59 percent.

ScholarShare Investment Board 
Medium Agency ($2 million - $20 million)
Participation rose from 5.02 percent to 70.77 percent.

California Energy Commission
Large Agency ($20 million - $50 million)
Participation rose from 21.40 percent to 72.75 percent.

Department of State Hospitals
Extra Large Agency (over $50 million)
Participation rose from 14.73 percent to 44.86 percent.

Presented by Casanya Ursery, Statewide Advocacy Support Manager, and Leslie Fritz, Training and Development Specialist, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, Department of General Services.

Most Improved DVBE Participation winners

Wildlife Conservation Board
Extra Small Agency (under $250,000)
Participation rose from 0 percent to 96.97 percent.

Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Small Agency ($250,000 - $2 million)
Participation rose from 6.47 percent to 9.45 percent.

Department of Pesticide Regulation
Medium Agency ($2 million - $20 million)
Participation rose from 5.96 percent to 22.47 percent.

California Secretary of State
Large Agency ($20 million - $50 million)
Participation rose from 1.94 percent to 6.78 percent.

California Military Department
Extra Large Agency (over $50 million)
Participation rose from 11.90 percent to 32.94 percent.

Presented by Darvin Manuel, Statewide Advocacy Support Manager, and Richard Brown, Statewide Advocacy Support Analyst, 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.

The winners are:

Alkurdi Qais

CEO and HQE Systems Inc.

Individual Excellence

Pivotal Adaptive Services

Business Excellence

Presented by Roberto Herrera, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet).

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:

Bronze 
Department of Fish and Wildlife

Sliver 
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Gold
Department of Transportation

Presented by Diane Lydon, Business Outreach Manager, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, 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 bronze, silver, and gold award

The winners are:

Ramon Rivera
California Public Employees Retirement System
Bronze Award

Nina A. Martinez
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Silver Award

Marcus Delfin
California Military Department
Gold Award

Presented by Sandra “Julee” Starkey, Statewide Advocacy Support Analyst, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, Department of General Services.

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 is:

California Department of Housing and Community Development

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

The Supplier Diversity Award is given to a California state department, agency, board, commission, office, or university that met their small business and disabled veteran business enterprise goals while demonstrating their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in state procurement and contracting. This includes DEI policy implementation, supplier diversity, and other activities.

The winner is:

California Department of Insurance

Presented by Danetta Jackson, Statewide Supplier Diversity Program 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 is:

Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD)

Presented by Demeshia Swanson, Business Outreach Program Manager, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, 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 is:

Major Christopher Schoenwandt
California Military Department

Presented by Angela Shell, Chief Procurement Officer for the state of California and Deputy Director of the Procurement Division, DGS.

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 is:

Niki Hussein
Department of Housing and Community Development 

Presented by Justyn Howard, Deputy Secretary for Fiscal Policy and Administration, 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.

The winner is:

Department of Motor Vehicles

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