WARREN, Ohio – The U.S. Small Business Administration named Mark Lamoncha, president and CEO of Columbiana-based Humtown Products, the National Small Business Person of the Year during a White House event Monday afternoon. 

The award presentation, which was carried on C-SPAN, was held at the conclusion of a small business summit held as part of this year’s commemoration of National Small Business Week, which runs through Saturday. 

Lamoncha, who last month was named SBA’s Ohio Small Business Owner of the Year, thanked President Donald Trump and SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler “for the opportunity and the privilege to represent the 36 million small business people, to be an ambassador for the largest part of our economy.” 

He also thanked the “industrial athletes team” at Humtown that he is privileged to serve “every day as their head coach,” and Trump again for “restarting and rebooting” the U.S. economy.

“Manufacturing used to be 38% of our economy, and it’s down to 9%. And I know that you love America – I know that you want to restart that,” he said. The Purchasing Managers’ Index has risen for the past three consecutive months, and Humtown has seen a 10% increase in hiring. 

“It’s amazing what he’s done,” Trump said. In 2008, Humtown had been approaching bankruptcy when Lamoncha patented a system to boost productivity at the company by more than 400%. 

He subsequently transformed Humtown into a pioneer in 3D printing, and it is now North America’s leading producer of 3D-printed sand cores and molds.

“Today, 98% of U.S. manufacturers are small businesses,” Loeffler said. “They’re a critical part of securing our supply chains, and while they contribute to national strength across all kinds of industries, from energy to agriculture to defense and aerospace, America’s big manufacturers rely on these producers and their skilled workers.”

“SBA is helping to fuel small business growth, guaranteeing a record $45 billion in lending last year alone to 85,000 small businesses through local banks,” she continued. “That capital is driving the job creation that you see record small business formation this year.” 

Lamoncha is expected to join Loeffler and U.S. Rep. Mike Carey, R-15th, for a National Small Business Week award ceremony Wednesday at Ohio State University in Columbus. It is among the stops in a nationwide road show that also will take her to Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, according to an SBA advisory.

Pictured at top: Seen in this image captured from video are, from left, Kelly Loeffler, Mark Lamoncha and President Donald Trump. (C-SPAN)