UT Tyler-Longview SBDC Clients Nationally Recognized by U.S. Small Business Administration

April 22, 2025 | Hannah Buchanan

Two clients of The University of Texas at Tyler – Longview Small Business Development Center were recognized with 2025 US Small Business Administration awards in the North Texas region.

Bobbie O’Dell, CEO/co-founder of Arpco Valves & Controls, LLC, received “Woman-Owned Business of the Year.” The Shoults Family, founders of Bear Creek Smokehouse in Marshall, received “Family- Owned Business of the Year.” Both were nominated by the UT Tyler – Longview SBDC.

“The SBA presents awards each year for National Small Business Week, and for two of the award winners to come from East Texas and be UT Tyler-Longview SBDC clients is truly phenomenal,” said Day Shelmire, UT Tyler – Longview SBDC director. “Both companies have earned these accolades through their hard work and dedication. We are so proud to be contributors to their success stories.”

SBA awards recognize outstanding accomplishments of entrepreneurs and small business owners who demonstrate success in areas like growth, innovation, job creation and community involvement. The Woman-Owned Business of the Year award highlights women business owners who can inspire and mentor others. The Family-Owned Business of the Year award honors families who have successfully navigated complexities unique to family businesses such as succession planning, family dynamics and control, and long-term sustainability over successive generations.

The mission of Arpco Valves and Controls in Kilgore is to protect customers, communities and the environment by providing high-quality emergency shut-down systems for oil and gas wells. Founded in 1943 by Hick and Nellie Shoults in the Bear Bottom area near Marshall, Bear Creek Smokehouse has become renowned nationwide for its premium smoked meats.

The UT Tyler – Longview SBDC provides expert advice and consulting services to small business owners and entrepreneurs to help them start and grow successful businesses in Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Panola, Upshur and Rusk Counties. To learn more, contact Shelmire at dshelmire@uttyler.edu, or visit uttyler-longviewsbdc.org/.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.