Florida Small Business Wins SBA’s 2018 Exporter of the Year Award
April 19, 2018
(SBA)
WASHINGTON – SeaDek has been named 2018 Small Business Exporter of the Year by
the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Rockledge, Florida-based company
will be officially recognized during National Small Business Week, an annual
event honoring the accomplishments and contributions of the best small
businesses in the nation.
The award will be presented by SBA Administrator Linda McMahon on April 30,
during a luncheon held at the U.S. Institute of Peace, in Washington, D.C.
Jason and Serenity Gardner, SeaDek’s Co-Creator and Chief Operating Officer
respectively, will receive the award on behalf of the company.
Jason Gardner worked for Hyperform producing surfboard fins and traction pads.
In 2004, in conjunction with Hyperform’s owners, he expanded the company’s
surfboard traction line by developing an innovative non-skid, closed-cell foam
that is both UV-resistant and waterproof. The material provides traction,
dampens sounds and absorbs shock making it an innovative alternative to
traditional marine traction products. Serenity Gardner was asked to join SeaDek
in 2008, where she plays an active role in scaling up the company through its
rapid growth.
In 2014, SeaDek made international expansion a key component of their strategic
plan. Since then, exports have grown from three percent to nearly 10 percent of
total sales in 29 countries, with a 170 percent increase in overall sales.
SeaDek hired an additional 61 employees, doubling its size, to over 130 workers.
The growth in export sales has allowed the company to reinvestment in itself,
increasing production capabilities and manufacturing jobs.
SeaDek recognized the expansion of sales and growth of employees would not have
been possible without the assistance of the Orlando Florida Small Business
Development Center (SBDC) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The
SBDC worked with SeaDek to craft its international business strategy. The SBA
complemented this plan with nearly $4 million in financing used to fund the
expansion of SeaDek’s manufacturing facility tenfold in order to keep up with
the international demand. SeaDek grew from 17,000 square feet in 2015 to 150,000
square feet over the course of two years.
U.S. exports are important to the nation’s economy, and 98 percent of all
exporters are small businesses. The SBA’s export loan programs help American
small businesses reach customers in the global market and compete on an equal
footing in countries around the world. During fiscal year 2017, the SBA had
another record year guaranteeing more than 2,152 loans to small business
exporters, resulting in more than $1.87 billion in financing.
Each year since 1963, the President has issued a proclamation calling for the
celebration of National Small Business Week. This year National Small Business
Week will be recognized April 29 – May 5, with events planned in Washington,
D.C., Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. For more information on the
national events, visit www.sba.gov/nsbw.
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