State Agency Recognition Awards 2018
The 19th Annual State Agency Recognition Awards (SARA) honored state departments and small business (SB) and disabled veteran business enterprise (DVBE) advocates for outstanding achievements in SB/DVBE advocacy and contracting.
The 19th Annual SARA Ceremony was held on January 23, 2019, at the Citrus Heights Community Center.
Opening Ceremony by Araceli Mohseni and Michael Aguillio, Department of General Services
Presentation of the Colors by the Governor's Honor Guard
The National Anthem by Kaleo Ross and the Inner Vision Band
Welcome to SARA by Daniel Kim, Director, Department of General Services
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Greetings from our sponsor by Rick Fowler, Vice Chair, Elite Service Disabled Veteran
Owned Business (SDVOB) Network
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Katherine Webster, Founder, VetsInTech – Individual Business Excellence
Heritage Global Solutions – Business Excellence
(was unable to accept the award)
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Pictured from left to right: Frank Louie, Coreena Conley, Rick Fowler
The judges for the 19th Annual State Agency Recognition Awards were:
- Frank Louie, California Asian Chamber of Commerce
- Julian Canete, California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (not pictured)
- Albert Renteria, Southwest Veterans’ Business Resource Center (not pictured)
- Coreena Conley, Veterans Business Outreach Center
- Rachel Fischer, San Diego Contracting Opportunities (not pictured)
- Bob Mulz, Elite Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business Network (not pictured)
The Finalists for the Agency of the Year Award were:
- Bureau of Automotive Repair
- California Pollution Control Financing Authority
- California Victim Compensation Board
- Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
- Caltrans, Division of Procurement Contracts
- California Department of Veterans Affairs
- California Public Utilities Commission
- Department of Business Oversight
- Department of Child Support Services
- Department of Consumer Affairs
- Department of Finance
- Department of Health Care Services
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- First 5 California Children and Families Commission
- Employment Development Department
- California Public Employees Retirement System
- Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
- Department of Technology
- Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy
- Franchise Tax Board
The following CDCR Institutions:
- CDCR, California Rehabilitation Center
- CDCR, Avenal State Prison
- CDCR, California Institution for Men
- CDCR, California Institution for Women
- CDCR, California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility
- CDCR, Correctional Training Facility
- CDCR, Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
- CDCR, Headquarters
- CDCR, Ironwood State Prison
- CDCR, Kern Valley State Prison
- CDCR, Mule Creek State Prison
- CDCR, North Kern State Prison
- CDCR, Salinas Valley State Prison
- CDCR, Wasco State Prison – Reception Center
- CDCR, Deuel Vocational Institution
Presented by Darvin Manuel and Matt Zweier, Department of General Services
The Finalists for the Advocate of the Year Award were:
- Starr Berkey, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – California Rehabilitation Center
- Eleanor Amith, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Avenal State Prison
- Andy Muñoz, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility
- Nina Martinez, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Headquarters
- Francisco Rascon, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Ironwood State Prison
- Carlos Flores, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Kern Valley State Prison
- Yolanda Flores, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – North Kern State Prison
- Shantill Castro, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Wasco State Prison
- Andrea Pina, Department of Consumer Affairs
- Donna Weber, Department of Food and Agriculture
- John Reule, Department of Motor Vehicles
- Rebecca Alexander, Department of Transportation
- Annetta Salhani, California Public Employee Retirement System
Presented by Lauren Sharon, SB/DVBE Advocate, Department of General Services
The departments that exceeded 30 percent or higher for their small business participation goal and 5 percent or higher for their disabled veteran business enterprise goals were:
- Department of Aging
- Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
- Department of Business Oversight
- Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency
- Department of Community Services and Development
- Department of Conservation
- State Controller’s Office
- Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
- California State University Fresno
- California Debt Limit Allocation Committee
- Department of Developmental Services
- Department of Education
- Emergency Medical Services Authority
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
- Fair Political Practices Commission
- Department of Finance
- Financial Information System for California Project
- First 5 Children and Families Commission
- Franchise Tax Board
- Gambling Control Commission
- Department of Health Care Services
- California Health Facilities Financing Authority
- Department of Industrial Relations
- Department of Insurance
- California Law Revision Commission
- Military Department
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training
- State Personnel Board
- California Pollution Control Financing Authority
- California Public Employment Relations Board
- California Public Utilities Commission
- Department of Rehabilitation
- Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta Conservancy
- San Diego River Conservancy
- San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commissio
- Scholarshare Investment Board
- Sierra Nevada Conservancy
- Board of State and Community Corrections
- Commission on State Mandates
- Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
- Student Aid Commission
- California Tahoe Conservancy
- Commission on Teacher Credentialing
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Victim Compensation Board
Presented by Angel Hood and Caesar Gutierrez, Department of General Services
Most Improved Small Business (SB) participation is based on meeting the 25 percent state goal and the difference between Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17 participation numbers to FY 17-18 participation numbers.
Seismic Safety Commission
Extra Small Agency (under $250,000)
Participation rose from 10 percent to 91 percent
California Education Facilities Authority
Small Agency ($250,000 - $2 million)
Participation rose from 29 percent to 76 percent
Department of Pesticide Regulation
Medium Agency ($2 million - $20 million)
Participation rose from 31 percent to 62 percent
Department of Tax and Fee Administration
Large Agency ($20 million - $50 million)
Participation rose from 10 percent to 46 percent
Department of Parks and Recreation
Extra Large Agency (Over $50 million)
Participation rose from 32 percent to 60 percent
Presented by Angel Carrera, Certification and Outreach Branch Chief, Department of General Services
Most Improved Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation is based on meeting the 3 percent state goal and the difference between fiscal year 2016-17 participation numbers to fiscal year 2017-18 participation numbers.
Scholarshare Investment Board
Extra Small Agency (under $250,000)
Participation rose from 0.2 percent to 29 percent
Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training
Small Agency ($250,000 - $2 million)
Participation rose from 5 percent to 46 percent
Department of Finance
Medium Agency ($2 million - $20 million)
Participation rose from 13 percent to 25 percent
Department of Tax and Fee Administration
Large Agency ($20 million - $50 million)
Participation rose from 2 percent to 23 percent
Franchise Tax Board
Extra Large Agency (Over $50 million)
Participation rose from 7 percent to 18 percent
Presented by Russell Atterberry, Undersecretary, Department of Veterans Affairs
Franchise Tax Board - Bronze
California Public Utilities Commission - Silver
Bureau of Automotive Repair - Gold
Presented by Nina Martinez, SB/DVBE Advocate, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Headquarters.
Annetta Salhani - Bronze
California Public Employees Retirement System
John Reuel – Silver
Department of Motor Vehicles
Eleanor Amith - Gold
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Avenal State Prison
Accepted by Nina Martinez, CDCR Headquarters
Presented by Andrea Pina, SB/DVBE Advocate, Department of Consumer Affairs.
Sarah Ward, Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta Conservancy
The Employee of the Year Award is a new award we introduced to recognize those state employees whose exceptional work supports their department’s efforts to achieve the SB and DVBE participation goals.
The nominees were:
- Katlyn Harwood, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Correctional Center
- Willy Little, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Avenal Correctional Institution
- Max Lyulkin, Department of Health Care Services
- Sarah Ward, Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta Conservancy
Presented by Angela Shell, Deputy Director, Procurement Division, Department of General Services.
Andrea Pina, Department of Consumer Affairs
Presented by Jeff McGuire, Chief Deputy Director, Department of General Services.
Nina Martinez, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Headquarters
Presented by Daniel Kim, Director, Department of General Services.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Headquarters
Accepted by Nina Martinez and David Fong
Presented by Maral Farsi, Deputy Director of Legislative and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Dickson Owino, Department of General Services
Dickson Owino provided analysis and reports of SB/DVBE achievement throughout the entire state to show successes and improvement. He contributed to the success of the Consolidated Annual Report and the CAR Dashboard. While he has moved on to new opportunities, the impact of his work will continue on.
Angel Carrera, Chief, Certification and Outreach Branch, Department of General Services.
Watch the video
Contact
Department of General Services
West Sacramento, CA 95605