RALEIGH – The chief executive of a Raleigh design firm has won top honors from the US Small Business Administration.
Kristen M. Hess, founder and CEO of HH Architecture, has been named North Carolina’s Small Business Person of the Year.
Since launching in 2005, Hess has spearheaded landmark projects across the state, including the North Carolina State Farmers Market Master Plan, the expansion of the North Carolina Zoological Park, and the Steve Troxler Agricultural Sciences Center for the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
“I’m elated,” Hess, who was honored during an in-person ceremony at the Steve Troxler Agricultural Sciences Center on Tuesday, as part of National Small Business Week.
“It’s not only a wonderful reminder of the core values that I strive to embody, but a testament of my commitment to serving, mentoring, and addressing the needs of North Carolina’s people and communities.
HH Architecture describes itself as a full-service design and architecture firm with clients in “both the public and private sectors.” It designs spaces for discovery, wellness, recreation and civic service that are “flexible, durable and adaptable,” it said in the release.
On her LinkedIn page, Hess said she knew that she needed a hands-on approach to each project when she started the company.
“After 17 years of growth, our team continues to provide the same level of service as when we started, while delivering impactful, conscientious design,” she wrote.
In addition to her work with the firm, she serves on the Greater Raleigh Chamber Executive Committee, the Governor’s Council on Historically Underutilized Businesses, as well as the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines.
SBA’s winners from each of the nation’s 50 states will formally be recognized on during National Small Business Week (NSBW) Awards Ceremony on May 5.
Since 1963, NSBW has been recognizing the contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
According to the SBA, more than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. Since
“Entrepreneurs are innovators and creators at their core, delivering the products and services we depend on and making our neighborhoods, towns, and cities more vibrant places to live and work,”said Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the SBA. “They give their all to achieve their American dream of business ownership and, by doing so, advance America’s economy and global competitiveness.”
