WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) awarded several Asian Pacific American minority business owners honored at an awards gala Sept. 30 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. during the National MED Week Conference.

“The minority-owned firms that will be recognized as National Minority Business award winners are excellent examples of businesses demonstrating a commitment to economic development and job creation within their communities,” said MBDA National Director David Hinson. “These businesses are making a difference and helping to boost economic and job growth across the country, and we applaud their efforts.”

These awards are designed to highlight the outstanding achievements of minority entrepreneurs and businesses based on their total revenues, jobs created and the economic impact they’ve had on their community. MBDA also recognizes individuals and organizations that have demonstrated leadership and commitment in advancing the minority business community.

Minority Manufacturer of the Year – Superior Communications, Inc., Baldwin Park, Calif.

Superior Communication, Inc. was founded in 1991 as the U.S. distribution arm of a Taiwan-based wireless accessory importer. The business expanded in 1995 to focus more heavily on the OEM market and provided added value through supply chain services. Superior started with a handful of employees in the cellular phone aftermarket accessory business, and has since grown to about 350 employees, with additional seasonal and temporary workers bringing the entire workforce to more than 400. Now the company’s annual sales are $400 million and serve six out of the seven top U.S. wireless telephone carriers in their accessory needs.

Minority Retail Energy Firm of the Year – SilRay, Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.

SilRay, Inc. was established in 2007 and has become a leading independent solar retail energy provider. The company’s mission is to promote sustainable green energy, and it strives to reduce the cost of solar energy so that it can be readily available to larger sections of the community. The company’s name and reputation has been established nationwide in the solar power plant development industry and engineering, procurement and contracting sector. SilRay maintains branch operations in Cannes, France and Shanghai, China. It was selected by the U. S. Coast Guard in 2010 for the construction of its first solar power plant.

Minority Global Technology Firm of the Year – InfoPeople Corporation, New York, N.Y.

InfoPeople Corporation provides IT services to companies of all sizes. Since the company’s inception in 1998, InfoPeople has grown from a one-man operation to a multi-national company serving Fortune 1000 companies in the United States and India. Over the past five years, InfoPeople has generated $1 billion in revenue and doubled its number of employees.

Captions:

med week. Chen. Solomon Chen is the CEO of Superior Communications, Inc. in Irwindale, CA.

Medweek .indian. Shyam Gulati is the CEO of InfoPeople Corporation in New York, NY.

April Zhong is the president &CEO of SilRay Incorporated in Palo Alto, CA