The U.S. Small Business Administration has named Kara DiPietro, President and CEO of HMC Inc., Maryland’s Small Business Person of the Year. The award is given each year to one small business owner from all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. DiPietro owns HMC, a commercial custom millwork manufacturing firm that has provided high quality millwork and foodservice design services for some of the country’s largest retail brands, hospitals, universities and corporations, as well as the United States Government. A certified Woman-Owned Small Business, HMC has offices in Columbia, MD and Los Angeles, CA.

Administrator Linda McMahon, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced DiPietro was among this year's Small Business Person of the Year winners on March 16. DiPietro is now in the running for 2017 National Small Business Person of the Year. The winner of National Business Person of the Year will be announced on April 30, when Small Business Person of the Year winners from all 50 states and U.S. territories gather in Washington, D.C, to receive their individual awards.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as Maryland’s Small Business Person of the Year,” said DiPietro. “I am thrilled to be a part of a company that creates incredible solutions for its clients, and humbled to represent the State of Maryland and its many great small businesses next month in Washington, D.C.”

Each year since 1963, the president has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of National Small Business Week.  National Small Business Week is set as the first week in May, and this year the dates are April 30 – May 6 with national events planned in Washington, D.C., New York City, Indianapolis, Dallas and Fresno, Calif. National Small Business Week festivities will kick off with Small Business Person of the Year events from April 30 to May 1 in Washington, D.C.

"It is my honor and distinct pleasure to announce the 54 winners from across the U.S. and its territories," said McMahon of the U.S. Small Business Administration. "These small business owners define entrepreneurial spirit and best represent the 28 million small businesses that are the backbone and economic engine for today's economy. I look forward to welcoming the winners to Washington next month when they are officially honored for their achievements."

Joining the family business in 2013 as Vice President, DiPietro acquired 100 percent of HMC and assumed the role of CEO in 2015. In that role, Kara oversees all operations and business development functions, budget and company financials, and strategic decisions.

DiPietro is a proud member of the Greater Baltimore Committee, Md. Washington Minority Companies Association, AIA Baltimore, and the ABC Baltimore Chapter. DiPietro is an alumnus of the University of Maryland, College Park, and holds certifications from the Baldridge Academy for Performance Excellence, as well as the Dale Carnegie Leadership Center. In 2016, DiPietro and HMC were honored as the Md. Washington Minority Companies Association’s Woman Business Enterprise of the Year, and as a SmartCEO Circle of Excellence finalist.

For over 25 years, HMC has provided exemplary food service design & build, interior design, custom millwork, equipment specification and procurement, as well as construction services, offering clients end-to-end solutions. With the latest in Interior Design & 3D technology, HMC transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary destinations.

HMC has delivered projects at countless high-profile locations including multiple United States Air Force Bases, , United States Capitol, Boston Children’s Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Yankee Stadium, AT&T Stadium, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, McCormick, Tulane University, Loyola University Maryland and Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Notable clients include Sodexo, Hensel-Phelps, Whiting-Turner, DPR Construction, Smith Group JJR, HDR, Perkins & Will, Merritt Properties, and Corporate Offices Properties Trust.

For more information on HMC, visit www.hmcincorporated.com.

About HMC, Inc.:

HMC is multi-faceted firm specializing in custom millwork fabrication, foodservice design, specification and procurement; offering highly skilled construction management and installation services. The company is headquartered in Columbia, Md. close to Baltimore and Washington D.C.  HMC is a federal and state certified woman-owned small business. HMC’s core competencies include; foodservice design and equipment specification, custom millwork fabrication, commercial kitchen equipment procurement with specialized installation and construction and project management services. For over 25 years, HMC has turned ordinary spaces into extraordinary destinations, designing and building innovative, unique foodservice facilities that maximize opportunities for innovation, functionality and design.  For more information, visit www.hmcincorporated.com.