Staff Report
Published May 26, 2010

Rebecca Ufkes, president of Hanahan-based UEC Electronics, on Tuesday was named first runner-up in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s annual National Small Business Person of the Year contest.

UEC Electronics, founded in 1995, helps clients develop product ideas by applying manufacturing, hardware, software, and mechanical and electronic design.

The awards were announced in Washington, D.C., during an event celebrating National Small Business Week 2010. The winner of the National Small Business Person of the Year is the owner of a computer simulation company in Florida.

UEC Electronics began 15 years ago as a home-based engineering consulting firm with one customer. Now the company has 95 employees and an 80,000-square-foot campus.

According to the Small Business Administration, Ufkes recently turned to government contracting work when her largest client fell upon tough times. She became the first graduate of the Navy’s Manufacturing Technical Assistance Production Program. 

Within a year, her company became a defense subcontractor. Within two years, UEC was working as a prime defense contractor, the SBA said. 

Revenues grew from $9.7 million in 2007 to $13.4 million in 2008. Employment rose steadily each year, even during 2009, despite the recession. 

Before becoming the runner-up in the national contest, Ufkes was selected as the Small Business Person of the Year for South Carolina.

The National Small Business Person of the Year and runners-up are selected from the 53 state small business winners, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.

Previous coverage
Charleston entrepreneur named Small Business Person of the Year
Raytheon to mentor Hanahan-based UEC Electronics