ICYMI: Small Business Owners Celebrated at SAFE Featured by Regional Media

December 24, 2024 • News

ICYMI: Small Business Owners Celebrated at SAFE Featured by Regional Media

Folsom, Calif. - (Dec. 23, 2024) - Gold Country Media recently featured graduates celebrated at SAFE corporate headquarters during the Sacramento District U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined graduation ceremony.

The credit union hosted the awards on December 10 for participants - from Auburn and Folsom to Stockton and Modesto - who completed the intensive six-month SBA business leadership course.

CEO Amanda Stahl of Auburn-based Mountain Aerial Technician receives her T.H.R.I.V.E. certificate from Sacramento District SBA Director Heather Luzzi.

Gold Country Media (Gold Mountain California News Media), publishers of the online and print publications including the Auburn Journal, Folsom Telegraph, and Roseville's Press Tribune, in their recent article highlighted Auburn-based business owner Amanda Stahl of Mountain Aerial Technician, Folsom-based business owner Anu Jekal of Data Surge LLC, and Roseville-based business owner Ivy Hernandez of Ivy's Wood Creations. (See additional list of graduates below.)

SAFE Credit Union Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending Ken Getz was quoted in the piece on why the not-for-profit credit union values and continues to recognize small business owners.

"The T.H.R.I.V.E. program in particular supports existing small businesses with training around growing their business. These businesses offer goods, services and employment opportunities to the community, which directly and indirectly support our SAFE membership," Getz is quoted in the piece.

Co-founder and CEO Anu Jekal of Folsom-based Data Surge LLC receives her T.H.R.I.V.E certification from Sacramento District SBA Director Heather Luzzi.

Read the full article here.

The T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined Program, brought by Isom Global Strategies on behalf of the U.S. Small Business Administration, consists of eight learning modules, each with theme-based units and topic-specific lessons including strategic planning, being an effective leader, driving sales, digital marketing, social media strategies and legal compliance while providing small business owners with a new network of peers and mentors.

Designer and business owner Ivy Hernandez of Roseville-based Ivy's Wood Creations receives her T.H.R.I.V.E certification from Sacramento District SBA Director Heather Luzzi.

2024 Sacramento T.H.R.I.V.E. graduates and businesses also included:

• Amy Schmidt, A.B.S. Builders Inc, Colusa
• Ingrid Galvez, American Staffing Service Inc, Sacramento, Arden-Arcade, 95825
• Hector Barajas, Amplify 360 Inc., Sacramento, 95814
• Angela Birts, Birts Equity and Inclusion Solutions LLC, Modesto
• Sandy Hampton, California Learning Center, Sacramento, 95825
• Erick Nava, Casa Los Abuelos, Placerville
• Robin Lee, Coastal Mountain Timber Inc., Camino
• Mark Tornatore, OK Tire Stores Inc., Sacramento, 94841
• Chris Davis, Reliable Home Solutions, West Sacramento
• Whitney Thorniley, Sacramento Acupuncture Project, Sacramento 95821
• Ed Snow, Snow Properties, Stockton
• Phil Hinkel, UBS Mechanical, West Sacramento
• Michael Deas, Watercourse Engineering Inc., Davis
• Joel Gaytan, Wavesure LLC, Sacramento, 95838

A not-for-profit financial institution that provides business services including commercial loan products with reduced fees, SAFE Credit Union's commercial lending team helps boost area small businesses and their owners by supporting the Sacramento District SBA and its programs, as well as several Sacramento area chambers of commerce including the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Center, and the Women's Business Center.

For more information email [email protected].

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About SAFE

SAFE Credit Union has made members an integral part of its vision since 1940. Over the years the credit union has kept the focus on what really matters, putting members first, a formula that has seen SAFE grow into a leading financial institution in Northern California with $4.3 billion in assets and about 236,000 members. SAFE crafts every cutting-edge product and sterling service with members' needs foremost in mind. In addition to banking services conveniently available through online, chat, mobile, or phone options, SAFE offers in-person services for members and small businesses at service centers across the Greater Sacramento region. SAFE is a not-for-profit, state-chartered credit union with membership open to businesses and individuals living or working in Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Sutter, Butte, Nevada, Solano, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Yuba, Amador, and Alameda counties. Insured by NCUA. www.safecu.org