SYRACUSE, NY – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Upstate New York District has awarded its 2023 Veteran-Owned Business of the Year Award to Mr. Michael Bower, owner of Eagle Metalcraft in East Syracuse, NY.
SBA Upstate New York District Director Bernard J. Paprocki presented the award at his business as part of National Small Business Week. They were joined by Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon in East Syracuse.
According to District Director Paprocki, the SBA Upstate New York District selected Michael Bower as Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year for acquiring Eagle Metalcraft, a precision sheet metal fabrication business, after leading strong business growth as general manager during the pandemic, doubling sales and number of staff. Bower also gives back as a SCORE mentor and works with the Syracuse City School District P-TECH students, transitioning servicemembers and the Manufacturing Association of Central New York’s apprenticeship program.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Bower learned the value of hard work growing up on a farm in Arkansas and serving in the United States Marine Corps. With a strong belief in the region’s entrepreneurial spirit, he sought support from the Onondaga Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in 2020 to purchase and run a business in Central New York. Bower began working as general manager for Eagle Metalcraft in the worst sales month of the pandemic and began making improvements immediately while working on the business acquisition.
SBDC business advisor Mark Pitanzo guided Michael through the business valuation process, helped him write a business plan, and connected him with Citizen’s Bank in Syracuse. Michael received an SBA 7(a) loan from Citizen’s Bank in 2021 to purchase Eagle Metalcraft, which like SBA had its 70th anniversary this year.
“I’ve moved a lot for jobs, and I’ve never seen a community come together like Syracuse does,” said Bower. “The best part of business ownership is job creation. I am surrounded by hard working and smart people, and being part of their growth is more rewarding than I could have imagined. I believe in the old aphorism, ‘A rising tide lifts all boats.’ Supporting and promoting growth of my team translates to our company growing and taking better care of our customers.”
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