During National Small Business Week, U.S. Representative Terri Sewell, AL-07, spoke on the House floor to honor two award-winning small businesses in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.
Rep. Sewell recognized Ms. Jackie Smith, owner and operator of Coffee Shoppe and Reflections in Selma, for being named the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 2024 Phoenix Award Winner for Outstanding Disaster Recovery Efforts.
Sewell also recognized Shanna Ullmann, Timothy Ullmann and Robert Prescott of Transformation Partners, LLC in Tuscaloosa for being named the 2024 SBA Small Business People of the Year for Alabama.
Sewell’s statement is below.
“Mr. President, I rise to honor the award-winning small business owners in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District as we celebrate National Small Business Week this week.
“EM. Jackie Smith is the proud owner and operator of Coffee Shoppe and Reflections in our hometown of Selma, Alabama. After leaving her job in 2011, Jackie bravely took the risk of opening her own small business, transforming the place that once was a segregated coffee shop in a beautiful coffee shop in the heart of downtown Selma. For 13 years, the Coffee Shoppe has provided a place for the community to gather, learn about Selma’s history, and eat good food.
“Like any businessman, Jackie went through many difficulties. After the January 12, 2023 tornado, we saw her resilience and, thanks to an investment from the SBA, she was able to open her doors and continue Coffee Shoppe’s great legacy. And in fact, she opened another business, Reflections.
“This week, Jackie’s extraordinary entrepreneurship earned her national recognition as the Small Business Administration’s 2024 Phoenix Award Winner for Outstanding Disaster Recovery Efforts. We congratulate you on your outstanding achievements.
“Today, we also recognized the SBA’s 2024 Small Business of the Year in Alabama, and they were Shanna Ullmann, Timothy Ullmann and Robert Prescott of Transformation Partners, LLC in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
“Starting in 2000 as a statewide training provider, his company has grown enormously over the past two decades. Today, they serve numerous clients in higher education, government, military and corporate America, offering consulting services and employee development programs.
“Transformation Partners was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. But once again, thanks to SBA assistance, the company remained operational and weathered the storm. Now, their efforts have earned them national recognition as the SBA’s 2024 National Small Business People of the Year for Alabama.
“I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the remarkable entrepreneurship in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District. Congratulations to all our winners. We wish him much success in the years to come.”
