SYRACUSE — The Syracuse district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on May 5 honored the achievements of five local businesses with excellence awards.

The SBA and the New York Business Development Corporation hosted the 16th annual luncheon to recognize the accomplishments of local small businesses at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in DeWitt, near Carrier Circle.

The luncheon gives the SBA the opportunity to celebrate the business leaders for their small-business successes, Bernard J. Paprocki, Syracuse district director, says.

“Entrepreneurs find success not by avoiding failure but by dreaming the impossible and taking chances. From Main Street stores to cyber merchants and all the companies in between, small businesses keep our economy innovative and vibrant,” Paprocki said in a news release.

The awards were based on firms’ longevity, innovation, sales growth, increased employment, ability to overcome adversity, or community contributions, the agency said.

Award winners
The Greater Syracuse Business Development Corporation nominated Lowenstein & Mead, CPAs, PLLC and Small Business Payroll Services, LLC. 

Heidi Lowenstein and Harriet Mead of Syracuse, both certified public accountants, are the owners. 

Lowenstein and Mead attribute the growth and success of their practice to the “variety and quality” of services they provide, according to the SBA. 

Their firm offers accounting services to individuals and businesses through Lowenstein & Mead CPAs, PLLC. Its complementary company, Small Business Payroll Services, LLC, offers payroll services to more than 200 small businesses, as described in the SBA news release.

In addition, JPMorgan Chase nominated Unimar, Inc., described as a “worldwide supplier of tower and obstruction-lighting products” on its website.  

Michael and Maurita Marley of North Syracuse own the company that operates at 3195 Vickery Road in Salina. 

After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Michael Marley earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the State University of New York at Oswego in 1983. Marley then joined the sonar division of General Electric (GE). 

He established Unimar while working at GE. 

The firm was among the first to “embrace” light-emitting diode (LED) technology as applied to the obstruction-lighting industry, the SBA said.

With his 20 years experience, Marley has become a “respected expert” in Federal Aviation Administration obstruction lighting and LED lighting systems, according to the SBA.

M&T Bank nominated Farone & Son Funeral Home, Inc. at 1500 Park St. in Syracuse. Joseph (Joe) Farone, Marie Farone, and Anthony Farone work in the business. 

Anthony’s grandfather launched the funeral home in 1911, and the family has worked in the funeral home ever since, the SBA said. 

Joe Farone and Marie Farone in 1998 sold the business and its property to Houston, Texas–based Service Corporation International (SCI), a publicly traded management company. 

All three Farones remained as employees, according to the SBA. 

Nearly 10 years ago SCI facilitated the merger of Farone & Son and Pirro and Sons, two prominent family funeral homes in Syracuse, into one location, the SBA said. 

Joe and Marie Farone are the 4th generation of funeral directors to operate the family business.

In addition, the winners included Picasso’s Pastries & Café at 466 Westcott St. in Syracuse, which Solvay Bank nominated for the SBA honor.  

Owners Kayla Brandt and David Zaczynski opened Picasso’s Pastries & Café in 2013. 

Picasso’s offers baked goods, such as cakes, doughnuts, breads, muffins, cookies, cream puffs, cinnamon buns, and cheese rolls.

The WISE Women’s Business Center nominated LOFO Farm to Table Restaurant at 214 Walton St. in Syracuse. 

Owner Abigail Henson of Syracuse graduated from the Natural Gourmet Institute chef’s training program in New York City.

Henson later returned to Central New York. The WISE Women’s Business Center helped her qualify for a matching grant allowing her to relocate the restaurant to its present location in Armory Square. 

Since opening, revenue at LOFO has increased 160 percent, according to the SBA. The restaurant employs eight people.     

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com