Bethlehem firm earns veteran-owned small business award

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Tuesday afternoon, state and federal officials recognized McGeehan and his son, Gavin, both owners of Gaver Industries, doing business as Barker & Barker Paving Inc. in Bethlehem, with the U.S. Small Business Administration Eastern Pennsylvania 2016 Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year award. The event, part of Small Business Week, is an initiative the SBA coordinates throughout the region, celebrating the successes of small businesses.

In Berks County, Colorfin LLC and its president and co-founder, Bernadette Ann Ward, won the Pennsylvania Small Business Exporter of the Year award from the SBA Eastern Pennsylvania district and was one of several businesses the organization visited this week.

Barker & Barker also will participate in a more formal awards ceremony, along with other regional award-winners, in Philadelphia on June 8. The company is a service-disabled veteran-owned asphalt paving contractor serving the region with residential, commercial and industrial paving solutions, concrete and excavation work.

“It’s a great award even if you are a civilian, but we’re all veterans here,” John McGeehan said. “We’re happy to have that; the world has been good to us and we are doing the best we can for the civilian market and also the federal market. We are happy to represent the Lehigh Valley; we are happy as veterans to represent the U.S.”

Half of the 32 employees at the company are veterans, he said.

“Some of our subcontract work is with veteran businesses,” McGeehan said.

His experience in the military taught him a lot about operating a small business.

“The big thing is leadership … understanding what risk is all about,” McGeehan said.

It’s important for CEOs and business leaders to be ready and willing to help their employees, especially when they are down, he noted.

“Small Business Week is always a lot of fun for us to go out and visit these businesses,” said Antonio Leta, director for the SBA Eastern Pennsylvania district. “These folks are a great example of building a business and taking a risk, and they have really built a strong business. Really, this week is about a celebration of small businesses.”

The past five years, Barker & Barker has sustained growth of 20 percent per year.

“It’s been a long haul since we bought the business in 2009,” said Gavin McGeehan. “We all know what the economy was like. At that time, there was not much private work.”

In 2014, firm obtained several prime contract awards, which helped increase overall sales. That same year, the company completed the purchase of property and added a warehouse and office space to create a centralized operation for the storage of machinery, vehicles and equipment.

“You guys have a lot of integrity and vision,” said state Sen. Lisa Boscola, who presented the owners with a proclamation from the Senate. “I know I will be seeing you for years and years to come.”

Other officials presented the owners with proclamations, including from Alex Karras, from the Bethlehem mayor’s office, that designated May 3 as Barker & Barker Day in Bethlehem.

In terms of nominations, most came from the Eastern Pennsylvania SBA’s business and lending partners. To maintain neutrality, the organization has its Delaware district office members review the nominations cast votes, Leta said.