Posted: September 23, 2011

Aromas Specialty Coffees & Gourmet Bakery owners Don Pratt, left, Geri Pratt and Williamsburg General Manager Jeff Kinney.

A dime a dozen? Not these companies, says Virginia SPQA

By Teresa Talerico

SBN editor

A new initiative that recognizes Virginia's thriving small businesses has named two Hampton Roads companies among its "12 to Watch" for 2011. They are SteelMaster Buildings in Virginia Beach and Aromas Specialty Coffees & Gourmet Bakery in Newport News and Williamsburg.

The U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award Program for Virginia launched the initiative this year, honoring the inaugural 12 on Sept. 8 at the 29th Annual Virginia Forum for Excellence in Richmond.

The companies are "on the cusp of major growth," Virginia SPQA Board Chair Jo Rohr said in a press statement. To qualify, they met rigorous standards from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. They will receive Criteria for Performance Excellence training, mentoring and scholarship participation in Virginia SPQA's Discovery Program.

We asked the local winners - one a Peninsula coffeehouse, the other a Southside firm that manufactures, designs and supplies arched steel structures throughout the U.S. - what to watch for from their companies. Here's what they said:

Geri Pratt

Co-owner

Aromas Specialty Coffees & Gourmet Bakery

www.aromasworld.com

"We are in the process of refining our brand image and operational processes for expansion, developing our social network marketing program and expanding online shopping capabilities on our website, in order that we can continue relationships with those guests visiting our shops from many areas.

"We have recently partnered with the Business School at the College of William and Mary's Internship Program to gain a fresh perspective of the perceptions and opportunities for our concept, and have been busy implementing many of the suggestions generated by this talented group of students, with varied backgrounds, both within the U.S., and internationally."

Rob Poellnitz

Vice President

SteelMaster Buildings

www.steelmasterusa.com

"We are seeing significant growth in our international markets and are currently working on some interesting projects in Haiti, Africa, Costa Rica, Peru and Uruguay. We have just completed our first two Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified projects, an animal shelter in Austin, Texas, and a manufacturing facility in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

"We are also expanding into new markets with two different housing projects in New York, (which were recently) featured in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Daily News." nib

Rob Poellnitz, SteelMaster vice president, left, and Michelle Wickum.