THATCHER — After reading through more than 100 nominations, the Small Business Development Center at Eastern Arizona College has narrowed the field down to 10 finalists for 2024 Graham County Small Business Woman of the Year.
The 10 finalists are:
- Taylor Banks, owner of Gila All-Star Cheer
- Deri Dannenbrink, owner of the Cottage Bakery
- Kendra Foster, owner of Kendra’s Bridal Boutique
- Kym Gifford, owner of KeyHole Properties
- Dr. Gail Guerrero Tucker, owner of Gila Valley Clinic
- Valerie Hernandez, owner of Essential Patient Care
- Malvalena Kitcheyan, owner of Nutrition with a Native Twist
- Jodi Layton, owner of The Wear
- Kelly Patton, owner of JD3 Fitness
- Brittney Rossow, owner of Bark Avenue Paw Spa
To qualify, the woman must be the active owner or part-owner of a small business with 50 or fewer employees headquartered in Graham County, be in business for a minimum of three years and show evidence of community involvement.
The winner will receive $2,000 and be announced at a special ceremony Thursday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m. at the Hoopes Activity Center at Eastern Arizona College.
Past winners:
2013 — Janet Quinn, Trophies N’ Tees
2014 — Kally Efros, Indigo Mountain Wellness, Toys & Gifts
2015 — Dr. Debbie Chapman, Desert Cross Veterinary Hospital
2016 — Sheryl Goodman, Taylor Freeze
2017 — Graham County, Jenny Rogers, Safford Dance Academy
Greenlee County, Susan Snyder, Chase Creek Marketplace
2018 — Graham County, Jenny Howard, Ginaveve’s Marketplace
Greenlee County, Meghan Wagley, Chaparral Mini-Mart and Motel
2019 — Graham County, Margo Henrie, Fizek Fitness
Greenlee County, Jackie Norton, PJ’s Restaurant
2023 — Graham County, Dr. Susan Jones, Gila Valley Clinic
Greenlee County, Joyann Hernandez, Sunflower Environmental
