Philip Cohen, Cohen Architectural Woodworking, St. James, is Missouri Small Business Person of Year

ROLLA, Mo. - March 28, 2017 - PRLog -- University of Missouri Extension Business Development Program (BDP) client Phillip Cohen, founder and president of Cohen Architectural Woodworking in Saint James, has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration's 2017 Small Business Person of the Year for Missouri.

The family-owned firm standardizes and builds high-quality custom millwork components and casework for the health care, education, retail, travel, lodging and other industries. The firm sells direct-to-vendor, contracting directly with clients; and to general contractors.

"Cohen Architectural Woodworking is a phenomenal example of a firm doing well financially, and doing tremendous good within the community and for their employees," said Greg Tucker, statewide director of the Missouri Small Business & Technology Development Centers (SBTDC). The firm is counseled by a team of BDP business specialists, including Travin Shelton, Missouri University of Science & Technology SBTDC. "If you work for Cohen Architectural Woodworking, your life will change for the better. If you have work done by the company, your surroundings will change for the better. They're a great firm, a true asset to the community, and I am excited they've been chosen as SBA's Small Business of the Year for Missouri."

Founder and CEO Phil Cohen's journey began in a volatile environment in Chicago and has taken him to the peace and quiet of rural central Missouri. He started working with wood in 1975, with half of a tiny house turned into a shop. "When I started, I was big and the company was little," Cohen has said. "Then the company became big and I became little." Today, Cohen Architectural Woodworking has about 75 employees and enjoys revenues in the millions.

"I couldn't be prouder of all the awardees this year – they are working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation and increase America's global competitiveness," said SBA Administrator Linda McMahon in a statement. "It is an honor during National Small Business Week to honor and celebrate their hard work and success."

Cohen is one of 54 Small Business Person of the Year state and territorial winners. These recipients will now compete for the 2017 National Small Business Person of the Year and have been invited to Washington, D.C., to participate in events and ceremonies in late April, with the winner announced during National Small Business Week, April 30-May 6, 2017.

Click here for a complete list of winners. https://www.sba.gov/content/sba-administrator-announces-national-small-business-week-awardees-3

Cohen Architectural Woodworking was also recently selected as the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce's Business of the Year and named the fastest growing cabinet manufacturer in the country by Wood & Wood Products Magazine. The firmhas completed projects at Rolla's Mercy Clinic, the Delbert Day Cancer Institute and other jobs at Phelps County Regional Medical Center. Other large projects include the Wichita, Kan., airport terminal expansion, CoxHealth hospitals in Springfield, Mo. and the lobby at the Grand Plaza Hotel in Branson, Mo. In addition, Cohen built display cases for the World Chess Hall of Fame in 2011 and 12 custom chess tables for the U.S. Chess Tournament.

For more information about Cohen Architectural Woodworking, visit http://cohenwoodworking.com.

BDP counselors are located statewide providing education and individualized assistance on a variety of business issues. From 2014 through 2016, the MU Extension BDP assisted Missouri companies with technical assistance and education resulting in:

·         23,927 jobs created or retained

·         $900 million in sales increases

·         $436 million in new investment

·         $1.1 billion in government contracts.

This represents one job created or retained for every $844 in total funding, and $120 of economic impact for every $1 invested. That is a return of $2.43 billion for a total federal, state and local investment of $20.2 million.

For more information on the BDP and the work it does to promote prosperity and thriving communities throughout Missouri, see a center near you https://missouribusiness.net.