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Steve Mee, center, of the Lab's Cerro Grande Rehabilitation Project (FWO-CGRP) Office, with Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., right, and Anthony McMahon, New Mexico Small Business Administration district director, at last Friday's New Mexico Small Business Administration luncheon and awards celebration in Albuquerque. Photo by Laura Lovato, Small Business (BUS-SBO) Office

Mee named U.S. Minority Small Business Advocate of Year

Stephen Mee, program manager of the Laboratory's Cerro Grande Rehabilitation Project Office, has been named the national Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year by the federal Small Business Administration.

Mee, who earlier was named the New Mexico and Region 6 recipient of the award, will be recognized at a national Small Business Week Entrepreneurial Conference and Expo Sept. 17-19 in Washington, D.C. Region 6 includes New Mexico, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

Mee has worked at Los Alamos since 1994. He was nominated for the award by the Laboratory's Small Business Program (BUS-SBO) Office.

"I'm extremely honored to accept this award on behalf of the Laboratory and NNSA, who continued to work towards strengthening and expanding our business commitment to Northern New Mexico small businesses and our nearby pueblos," said Mee.

In a letter to Mee, Hector Barroto, administrator of U.S. Small Business Administration said, "Your hard work, innovative ideas and dedication to your community have made you a success in your business and the U.S. Small Business Administration is thrilled to recognize you with this award. Congratulations on this recognition and your success. You are the embodiment of the American dream."

"This is an excellent example of how a technical staff member at the Laboratory can proactively and effectively provide for and plan business opportunities for Northern New Mexico and New Mexico small businesses," said Teresa Trujillo, Los Alamos' Small Business Program Office leader. "The success of the Laboratory's small-business program is largely dependent on the consideration that technical personnel give to New Mexico small businesses when they are making purchasing decisions and planning projects."

After the Cerro Grande Fire burned more than 7,000 acres of Laboratory property in 2000, the Cerro Grande Rehabilitation Project Office was set up to plan and coordinate rehabilitation projects, including fire-mitigation and tree-thinning efforts; environmental operations; and purchase of new equipment, among other tasks. Mee has led the office since its creation.

In the nomination form Los Alamos' Small Business Program Office prepared, Trujillo noted that in 2001 Mee approached the office for assistance in building a relationship with nearby Native American pueblo leaders. This would eventually lead to an agreement between the Laboratory and nearby pueblos to facilitate the pueblos' ability to submit bids for fire rehabilitation projects at Los Alamos. The agreement is valued at up to $1 million for each of the nearby pueblos. The agreement now serves as the basis for the long-term contractual relationship between the Laboratory and the pueblo small-business community.

"He realized that there were many factors that had to be considered if he wanted to successfully engage the pueblos," according to the nomination form.

"Steve has demonstrated a willingness to support our regional businesses by extending to them procurement opportunities, supporting them with business and technical assistance and establishing relationships that are based on respect for traditional and cultural values," the nomination concludes.

Before he became a University of California Laboratory employee, from 1994 to 1997 Mee was a consultant to the Laboratory on project controls and facility management at Technical Area 54.

Last October, Mee was awarded the Allan Johnston Small Business Advocacy Award by the Northern New Mexico Supplier Alliance for his support of regional vendors.

For more information about Los Alamos' Cerro Grande Rehabilitation Project, call 665-8024. The office is part of Los Alamos' Facilities and Waste Operations Division.

-- Steve Sandoval

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