Greater PA Mag 30-56.pdf

CHILLING & DISTILLING

Veteran-owned Clifford Distilling enjoying growth through first year

A lot has happened in the year since Sean Clifford began running the first legal whiskey operation in his family — Clifford Distilling LLC.

The business, located at 235 Procter St. in Port Arthur, has hosted numerous events; held tastings and tours; created a variety of spirits that can be found in liquor stores, bars and restaurants and there are plans for other products.

The most recent designation was being named the Veteran Business of the Year by the Lamar State College Port Arthur Small Business Development Center.

Clifford spent 23 years in the U.S. Army and retired as an officer. He and his wife, Wendy, own and operate the distillery, a first of its kind in Port Arthur.

Clifford said he was honored and

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Wendy and Sean Clifford, owners of Clifford Distilling LLC, stand in the Port Arthur business, along with their dog, Whiskey.

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine Clifford Distilling is working on three new labels of whiskey, Clifford Reserve, Clifford Select and Clifford Mountain Water.

excited when he learned of the award.

As a 100 percent, veteran-owned business, Clifford also employs retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Matt Barrows as operations manager.

“As we grow I look to hire more and more vets,” Clifford said.

His work with veterans goes further.

His wife said they are looking to partner with Camp Hope out of Houston and host a benefit for PTSD awareness.

Camp Hope helps retired combat veterans dealing with issues such as PTSD and related issues in hopes of getting them healed and back in society.

Clifford said the benefit is planned June 23 at the distillery and will be first class with tickets sold.

There will also be a public event April 22 to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the opening of Clifford Distillery.

Clifford said in the year they have been open they have seen some hard times but are now seeing the light. In fact they are working on three new labels of whiskey — Clifford Mountain Water, Clifford Select and Clifford Reserve.

In addition they have partnered with individuals from India for an Indian line of spirits.

He is looking to push his product out across major cities in the U.S. then India.

As Clifford works on the new labels and mov-

ing his products, there’s also Rice University Veterans Business Battle.

Clifford Distillery is one of the final 16 veteran-owned businesses in the competition for funding.

According to Rice Business website, the competition is for veterans who own their own business or are interested in starting their own business. It is described as a “Shark Tank” style event.

On April 20, Clifford will go to compete for a spot in the final 5, he said.

The shop

Clifford Distillery is open for tastings and tours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

They also host Industry After Hours on the third Thursday of the month. This event allows people in industry to network, socialize and have a drink.

The distillery has an area for rent where civic groups hold meetings and is also available for meetings for first responders or veterans organizations at no charge.

Sean and Wendy Clifford said they were thankful to the SBDC nomination committee as well as for the community‘s support.

— Written by Mary Meaux

Mary Meaux/ Greater Port Arthur The Magazine Matt Barrows, left, and Donald Rayford stand next to the distiller.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS Chamber leader talks opportunities in Orange

Ida Schossow is excited about the great things coming to Orange County.

“Even before I came here, I worked with businesses — small businesses, large businesses, all businesses,” the president of the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce said. “This job is a chance to help the business community.”

Retired from Chase bank,

Schossow has been involved with the chamber for three decades, with 11 years working directly for it.

“When they join the chamber, we can promote and highlight what they do,” Schossow said. “If a business is struggling, we can help put them in contact with resources. Or if they’re thinking of starting a business, can refer them to avenues that

can help them.”

Schossow’s enthusiasm and dedication to business helped earn her the title of 2023 Small Business Champion of the Year by the Lamar State College Port Arthur Small Business Development Center.

And she’ll have no shortage of work ahead of her.

This month, an $8.5 billion joint venture between Chevron

Stephen Hemelt/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine Ida Schossow serves as president of the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce.

Phillips Chemical and Qatar Energy was announced. In addition, Public Utility Commission of Texas approved Entergy Texas’ proposal to build the 1,215-megawatt combined-cycle power plant near Bridge City.

“There are going to be so many businesses that come because of the big announcements,” Schossow said. “You are going to see businesses follow that compliment or service these industries. I think we will see a boom in everything. We already have some things in the pipeline.”

Schossow said chambers and businesses everywhere went through unprecedented situations during the pandemic, but they were prepared to help business owners with questions.

“It was a crazy time,” she said. “We’re part of the U.S. Chamber and the Texas Chamber, and the

Stephen Hemelt/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine Ida Schossow serves as president of the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce.

U.S. Chamber would send us information directly.”

Due to the ever-changing rules and regulations, Schossow said the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce worked to filter information to businesses as soon as they received it.

They had packets available for different industries, such as restaurants that were suddenly dealing with curb-side orders only.

“Just being able to help the businesses is what I would say is the most rewarding thing,” Schossow said.

Among the Chamber’s many annual activities is the annual Mardi Gras celebration, which has a large economic impact on Orange County and surrounding areas. They also host an honors student luncheon for the top 10 percent of seniors in all Orange County high schools, including Deweyville.

They give away thousands each year in scholarships among those selected as Student of the Month, they recognize businesses with an annual awards banquet, and they also host a golf tournament in which 10 percent of net proceeds are gifted to a non-profit.

“It’s just a way to honor different people — the citizens who have done outstanding work and volunteerism,” Schossow said.

Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River returns this year June 1-4.

Schossow said following the last one in 2021, an economic study from an independent firm showed that the tournament brought $3.2 million to the region.

— Written by Monique Batson

Proficio Surgical Assistants earns “Service Business of the Year”

Lamar State College Port Arthur’s Small Business Development Center chose Proficio Surgical Assistants for “Service Business of the Year.”

“Some awards are chosen by the chambers of commerce in our service area, and there are classification awards from the SBDA department,” said Dana Espinal, director of the Small Business Development Center. “We have a selection committee who evaluates those clients who are in compliance with the qualifications and then the selection is made.”

Proficio Surgical Assistants provides experienced and strategic healthcare staffing solutions to support healthcare needs.

“Our company provides surgeons of various specialties in the Golden Triangle,” said Kirk Pruitt, CEO of Proficio. “Our staff is in the operating rooms of the hospitals, works from home or Locum staffing employees.”

The company became involved with Lamar Port Arthur SBDC two years ago, reaching out for possible startup financial assistance when forming in October 2021.

There are three partners who manage Proficio Surgical Assistants.

“Jaime Almo III, Jaime Almo Jr. and I have been in the surgical assistance field for 25 plus years,” Pruitt said. “Jamie Almo III and I conduct the day-to-day operations, and his father manages the management and administrative responsibilities.”

Before the company was founded, Pruitt and Almo Jr. operated offices in the same

field for a private equity company, American Surgical Professionals.

“I was their Texas Vice President of Operations from 2014-2021,” he said. “My office was in Beaumont, and Jaime Almo Jr.’s was in Houston. The company ended up closing their operations in Texas, and we saw the need to continue the service.”

Company officials say Proficio Surgical Assistants maintains 40 hospital contracts across the state and provides services on approximately 24,000 surgical cases annually.

“We do Locum Staffing, which is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another, in Louisiana and Colorado,” he said.

“We have been very blessed for the success our company has had in such a relatively short amount of time. The company is adding three new contracts in Northwest Houston, and we are also looking to expand in Dallas.”

Pruitt said he and his partners learned valuable tools during their connections with the SBA department, which will help in the business’ financial future.

“Going forward, they have given us an idea of how to pursue capital and expansion,” Pruitt said.

Proficio Surgical Assistants is located at 3536 Highway 6 South, No. 150 in Sugarland. Call 409-719-6966 for more information.

— By Sierra Kondos

Courtesy photo

AT LEFT: Parents Thomas and Kaci Taylor welcome newborn Dawson Reid Taylor, the first baby born in Southeast Texas on Jan 1, 2023, at 1:03 a.m. at CHRISTUS Southeast Texas - St. Elizabeth. Kaci works for Proficio Surgical Assistants. Those standing include, from left, Dr. Kayla Williams, Proficio CEO Kirk Pruitt, Surgical Tech Linda Dodd and Surgeon, Dr. J. Coffy Pieternelle. Williams, joining Proficio later this year, is Dawson’s aunt.

Our staff is in the operating rooms of the hospitals, works from home or Locum staffing employees.

1214 Spurlock Rd. Nederland, TX 409-748-0043

Doggy Daycare & Boarding free roam facility for the dogs of SETX!

COME SIT PLAY

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Sabine Pilots are serving the shipping industry and the public ports of Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange as well as the private oil terminals and the industrial complex of Southeast Texas. The Sabine Neches Waterway is the economic lifeline and the gateway to world commerce. It is the duty of the Sabine Pilots to maintain the safety and the environmental integrity of the waterway. We have done so since 1881 and pledge to continue.

Port Neches family connects to community through business

Customers know Complete Athlete as an athletic and team store, but the community knows Complete Athlete as a business giving back to those they serve.

Recently named Port Neches Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year, Complete Athlete has been in operation since the 1970s.

Current owners Jesse and Carrie Queen Garcia are no strangers to the marketplace.

Jesse has worked at Complete Athlete since 1999 — only taking a small break after he got married to Carrie and started growing their family.

He took a job with Munro’s Safety Apparel out of Beaumont, working as a regional operations manager due to a benefits plan that helped the family.

“Rosie Ramos, who

ABOVE: Pictured, from left, are Jesse and Carrie Garcia and their son, Cameron Wilson, inside the family owned Complete Athlete. AT LEFT: Wall-to-wall apparel in any local school’s colors fill the showroom at Complete Athlete in Port Neches.

owned the company since 1978 I think, decided it was time for her to sell,” Carrie said. “The company that Jesse was working for reached out to her and decided they wanted to organize the transaction there. Bill Munro had it for maybe a year and approached Jesse and said, ‘Would you be interested in buying it?’ and then the ball would just roll from there.”

Jesse and Carrie are keeping the original business premise intact while building upon it.

“Rosie Ramos, when she started this, was a professor in college and was able to reach out to college coaches and high school coaches,” Jesse said. “So, our strong suit is we do uniforms for any sport in this area: from high schools to colleges to little leagues to select teams.

“Since Carrie and I have taken over, Carrie has done an amazing job of venturing out-

side of the athletic world. We do anything from your restaurants to lube shops to bars and barber shops. We’re able to do a lot. What I mean by that is we do T-shirts, polos, hats, aprons — anything you can think of clothing wise.”

While Jesse loves providing athletic team apparel, they feel they need to explore different products and services in order.

According to Jesse, with the way the industry is going, you have to look at other avenues to keep the business growing.

Part of this effort is expanding the physical retail space.

“We’re also very proud of the expansion of our retail floor,” Carrie said. “When we bought it, it was very tiny. It had a couple of T-shirts on it. Now we feature a lot of spiritwear, where the community can come in for just about any sport and any local school.”

The most important thing to Jesse and Carrie is holding their family close in everything they do.

“We enjoy working with each other, getting to see each other every day,” Carrie said. “I know that can be kind of a hard pill to swallow, being with your husband day in and day out, but I think we really do enjoy each other’s company. We work well together.

“When we say we are family owned and operated, that is 100 percent true. My sister-in-law works in the shipping department. I’ve got two nephews back there in silkscreen. My other nephew is working on the retail floor. We are running with the heart of our family here.”

Jesse said he also likes the freedom of the small business as they control their hours, which provides time outside of work for family.

While the Garcias biological family is important, the second family they serve is also important.

The Garcias are active in community fundraising for PTAs, charities, school clubs and more.

“I use the word homegrown,” Jesse said. “We’re both homegrown. (Carrie) is from Port Arthur. I’m from Nederland and we live in Port Neches with four kids now. As far as being a part of the community — with kids and everything going on, it just came naturally. To be involved in a lot of things and to be a part of this community is amazing.”

Jesse and Carrie said community members look out for each other when times are tough.

“You help out as much as you can,” Jesse said. “Whether it be a fundraiser, link sale or anything like that. We just involve ourselves in a lot of what the

community has to offer. In doing that, it turns around and helps build our business. We love our community, and we want to be a part of it.”

In a world dominated by large retailers such as Walmart and Amazon, the Garcias said shopping local is crucial.

“There are online stores that do what we do,” Carrie said. “We can’t survive unless the people love on us the way that we love on them. If we don’t have respect, if we don’t have repeat customers, if we don’t have people that want to support local businesses, we’re going to fail. And I don’t want that ever to be the case. I think that our chances are higher than anywhere else (to succeed) because we have such a wonderful community.”

Complete Athlete is located at 1401 Magnolia Avenue in Port Neches. Call 409-722-2621.

— Written by Tim Cohrs

Tim Cohrs/Special to Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Part of the business expansion is the effort to increase the physical retail space.

Flourish owner offers inspiring story for aspiring entrepreneurs

Leah Smith Ambrose knows what she wants to tell next year’s Woman Owned Business of the Year awardee: Be true to yourself.

Ambrose, owner of Flourish/Cultivating Confidence in Nederland, recently earned the distinction for herself. Her salon at 1048 Boston Avenue is near Twin City Highway and in sight of the city’s archway.

“Whether it’s the 15-yearold me that just wanted to do hair one day, or if it was the 23-year-old me who just started out as a hairdresser and had so many new ambitions, or if it was the 31-year-old me who had four kids at this time and needed more financial stability,” Ambrose said. “Just be true.”

The salon owner is living a dream she worked hard to make happen.

She credits Dana Espinal with the Lamar State College Port Arthur Small Business Development Center for mentoring her

in her journey as a business owner.

“I’ve been working behind the chair for 15 years. And, having a good clientele, that’s a good

support as far as finances go, but you know, that’s just not enough,” Ambrose said. “So, we ran into some struggles, you just persevere through it. And

Courtesy photo

A service provider applies makeup to a client at Flourish

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Leah Smith Ambrose stands in Flourish/Cultivating Confidence, located at 1048 Boston Avenue in Nederland.

Courtesy photo Leah Smith Ambrose of Flourish/Cultivating Confidence makes last minute touches.

it all just came together, and it happened actually very fast. I’m amazed at how fast it happened.”

Flourish opened in August and has been hitting all of the important steps along the way. She has five service providers and room for one more. Services include skincare, hair, lash extensions and permanent makeup such as brows and lashes with more services planned in the future.

The fact she earned Woman Owned Business of the Year is amazing to Ambrose because, as a stylist she works with a lot of other amazing women and works to encourage and build them up.

Ambrose is from the area and remembers riding her bicycle up and down Boston Avenue where she now has a business.

“Having so many memories in the community as a child, I’m

Courtesy photo

A client looks in the mirror after her hair is styled.

honored, really, to have had the opportunity for this location,” she said.

Keep up with trends

Ambrose and the other service providers at the salon make it a point to keep up with trends and new developments.

As far as products, Ambrose has a high standard and smell alone isn’t the key; performance is. She has two hair products she feels are the best per smell and performance — Wilson Collective and Leaf & Flower.

She and the other providers follow the leading artists and key educators in the industry, take Zoom courses and more.

Clients, brides & more

Flourish is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and staff members can make accommodations for different hours if needed.

One such event is for brides and bridal parties, Ambrose said.

The salon has received good reviews online, including from Beanna Raven Shaw, who said the salon gives great service and makes clients feel welcome, to Leza Cardenas who spoke highly of the provider who handles her lashes.

Kristy Curtis said Leah is awesome.

“I always leave feeling beautiful,” Curtis said in the online review. “She will listen to what you want and is very knowledgeable. I rate Flourish a 10 out of 10.”

Name & the dream

The salon name Flourish is centered on a dream, Ambrose said.

Being a hairstylist has always been her dream and that evolved into becoming a salon owner. But a name for the business just wasn’t coming to her.

Then approximately five years ago her family went through a very tough time, she said. They lost their house to Hurricane Harvey, then her husband was hurt at work.

“Immediately after we were in like, a place of destitute. And He gave me that name flourish,” she said, adding her and her husband are Christians. “I felt like it was the name and it was also the promise to flourish.”

— Written by Mary Meaux

The LSCPA SBDC is a business advising and training center of the University of Houston Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network serving 32 counties in Southeast Texas. The SBDC program is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

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Kasey Taylor leads RT Technical to business success, accolades

RT Technical Solutions is a success story involving a certified female-owned business whose leaders work to produce the best products and give back to the community.

Kasey Taylor, president and CEO of the Nederland-based business, said they are an industrial, electrical and measurement contractor that constructs custom fabrication buildings and three-sided shelters to house analyzers, electrical and measurement equipment for oil and gas industries.

RT Technical Solutions specializes in the integration of that equipment that acts as a cash register for what moves through the pipelines.

The integrated equipment gives composition, volume and quality of the gas or liquid flowing through the pipes.

The Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce named RT Technical Solutions Business of the Year.

Pat Avery, president and CEO of the chamber, said

Taylor is deserving of the award.

Avery noted Taylor’s drive for civic duty — she’s a big supporter of the chamber and is chairperson of the Nederland Heritage Festival.

Joe Tant, finance and human resources director with

the chamber, said the business is involved with the success of the chamber, the Port Arthur Education Foundation and the Contractors Business Development Group.

“Kasey Taylor and Elton Hollis have ingrained themselves into the community and

Courtesy photo

Mark Hawkins, left, of RT Technical Solutions with a piece of equipment.

Courtesy photo The business is located at 4484 Hodgson Road in Nederland.

Courtesy photo

A worker welds on a project for RT Technical Solutions.

are always ready to give back to make Port Arthur and Southeast Texas better,” Tant said.

The business world

Taylor, who formerly worked with the Small Business Development Center, joined RT Technical in 2010 prior to becoming the owner.

She said the business caters to a niche market and there are only a handful of other companies that provide the same type of work.

Currently RT Technical works with businesses across the United States. They have 24 employees — a number that can fluctuate.

Taylor doesn’t underestimate the importance of the business to the oil and gas industry.

“As a certified woman owned business, my passion continues to grow with successful opportunities to share our talents with existing and new customers in industry,” Taylor said. “RT Tech-

nical exemplifies professionally and personally the value in quality products, service and dedication to each project. I am very fortunate to have a dynamic team that takes great pride in their work. RT Technical consistently accomplishes projects that are safe, on-time and on budget for industry.”

RT Technical, she said, has built a reputation as one of the United States’ leaders in electri-

cal and measurement integration for pipeline and industrial applications.

“We pride our work with exemplary craftsmanship, effective project management and first-class customer service. Our customers consist of the majors in all areas of the up, down and mid-stream markets,” she said.

— Written by Mary Meaux

SWIMLESSONS FORALLAGES YEAR'ROUND!

Courtesy photo

RT Technical Solutions creates buildings to house analyzers, electrical and measurement equipment for the oil and gas industry.

Texas Built Cabinets delivers

“If you can dream it, we can build it.” That’s the motto of Texas Built Cabinets, recent Small Business of the Year recipient with the Vidor Chamber of Commerce.

“Truthfully, I couldn’t even talk when I found out,” says Crystal Shafer, owner. “I was just surprised and proud.”

Crystal and her husband Michael are very passionate about their business, which they purchased in 2016 and have expanded from one full time, one part time and one steady builder, to a 12-member team working with more than 30 builders in the area.

“We are not Texas Built Cabinets without our team,” she says.

Their team offers residential, commercial, custom and new construction, so whether you’re interested in cabinets for the bathroom, kitchen, closet or laundry room or even custom built-ins they say they’ve got you covered. They also offer custom vent hoods and barn doors.

“We build cabinets, and we build them well,” Shafer said. “We provide fantastic customer service and we guide you through the process of designing, building, installation and any other support you may need.”

Shafer says if they can’t do it, they’ll help you find someone who will.

“I tell people although I’d love to be able to be to build

everyone’s [cabinets] in Southeast Texas, we aren’t physically capable of doing that,” she said. “If I can’t do the job for you, let me help you find someone who can. “

It’s that sense of community that drives them to help their neighbors beyond their business.

“Whenever there’s a storm or hurricane, everyone becomes a contractor, she said.

“People are taken advantage of. We see it happen too often and that’s the last thing we want anyone in our community to have to deal with,” Shafer said.

Shafer says when a hurricane hits, she starts calling all her builders to devise a plan whether the focus is remodeling or new construction.

“At the end of the day, my home builders don’t wait on

us — they build their schedule months out,” Shafer said. “If they start pouring concrete, I knew about it.”

The team analyzes gaps in the schedule where they can work in a remodel.

“We do what we say, and we say what we do. With us being a small family owned, we’re not a corporate run business I think that matters as well,” Shafer said.

Right now, the modern style is in. Slab doors are coming back, and it’s not just the shaker style doors anymore.

“People always ask when do we call you for estimate for new construction and I say as soon as you have the blueprints in hand give us a call,” Shafer says.

Once the team is able to take a look at those blueprints, they’re able to give a rough estimate.

Then Michael goes out and does the measurements, and that’s when the designing starts. There are a ton of styles and that’s where the excitement starts.

Not sure what style you’re interested in? They can help with that too.

“Our design team is fantastic at helping our clients, guiding them along the way to make decisions,” Shafer said.

A remodel is handled differently since the home is already there.

A lot of times cabinets are already torn out and the team

“If you can dream it, we can build it.”

Courtesy photo Blake Shafer works at Texas Built Cabinets.

will give design ideas, measure and give estimates. Shafer says from there it typically takes about six weeks for the work to be completed.

“What takes the longest is the communication — the back and forth about the design,” she said. “It’s the decision making that takes the longest.”

No matter the job, customer service and quality is what helps the business stand out.

Those challenges have led Texas Built Cabinets to win this year’s Small Business of the Year award. They are also winners of the Orange Leader’s Best of Orange County, the Beaumont Enterprise’s Best of the Best in Orange and Jefferson counties, as well as Hardin County and the Best of the Best Television’s national award winner.

“At the end of the day my husband and I go to bed just normal people trying to make a difference in our community,” Shafer said.

Texas Built Cabinets is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and open late by appointment. You can stop by 720 Pleasant Street in Vidor or call 409-422-4905 for an appointment.

— Written by Chrissie Mouton

Courtesy photo Blake Shafer is the director of technology for Texas Built Cabinets.

Courtesy photo Crystal and Michael Shafer own Texas Built Cabinets.

Glamorous Nails earns special honor within months of opening

Port Arthur salon and school Glamorous Nails, open since August, has already earned an important distinction — StartUp Business of the Year.

The award comes through the Lamar State College Port Arthur Small Business Development Center, and owner Joelkys Acevedo calls it an honor.

The salon is located at 8675 9th Avenue and is not the first business started by the Dominican Republic native.

While in her home country she had two nail salons with friends who worked in the area. The idea was to offer both services, nail care and hair care, in the same establishment, she said via translator.

The entrepreneur wanted more and began to study to be a teacher to others wanting to learn the nail business.

She described the best part of her job as direct contact with people.

“Both with my students and with my clients,” Acevedo said. “I have the opportunity to open horizons to other people, to help them turn their dreams into reality. I can train women through my classes and they can create their own source of work. As for my clients, I’m not just a manicurist, which I love to do.”

Acevedo said she is more than a teacher and business owner. She is a counselor with ears to listen, arms to hug with and a Christian who prays.

“I have the ability to brighten someone’s day just by applying red

nail polish,” she said. “God has put words in my mouth to bring out of the darkness an extraordinary woman who doesn’t know she is. To Him be the glory. These are the best parts of my job, without a doubt.”

Acevedo was asked what advice she has for someone wanting to start their own business. She answered with positive words.

“With commitment, passion, a lot of effort, resistance and above all love,” she said. “Every-

thing you set your mind to can be achieved. Regardless of the point where you have to start. Everything is possible for the one who believes.”

Glamorous Nails is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and classes are taught on Sundays. Information on classes and services are available on social media.

Email joelkys1106@gmail.com for more information.

— Written by Mary Meaux

Courtesy photo

Joelkys Acevedo’s Glamorous Nails has been named the Start-Up Business of the Year.