The President of the United States designates one week each year as National Small Business Week to recognize the many contributions small businesses provide to our economy and society as a whole. This year’s recognition will take place the week of April 30, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has released names of the winners of the 2017 Iowa Small Business Week Awards. Topping that list is local business owner, Ben Puck, of Puck Custom Enterprises (PCE) in Manning, who has been named the Iowa Small Business Person of the Year. Puck has worked to build the business that designs and manufactures drag hose manure application equipment as well as providing manure application services since 1979. Puck grew up on a family farm and in the late 1970s, with the Farm Crisis looming, he began searching for alternate forms of revenue. He and his brother started out by pumping and hauling manure for area farmers and soon took on added services. Around 1983, Puck became the sole proprietor of the business and in 1998, Puck Custom Enterprises became incorporated and he began working on ways to improve on the equipment used in the industry. Today, PCE has over 50 full-time employees, 10 part-time employees and focuses primarily on the designing, building and selling of manure management equipment. Puck was nominated for this award by Gaylin Ranniger, President of the First National Bank of Manning because of the many contributions PCE has made to the community, not only through the economic benefits of the business, but through the family’s personal involvement in many other aspects of Manning. He and his family are staunch supporters of local education and Puck has taken a leadership role in the IKM-Manning STEM initiatives. They are also very active with local churches, charities, other businesses and community organizations. Puck will go on to represent Iowa at the National Small Business Week ceremonies in Washington, D.C. the week of April 30, and will be competing for the National Small Business Person of the Year Award. Carroll Broadcasting has reached out to Ben Puck, and will bring you more from him on this honor in an upcoming broadcast.
