Ascend Contractor Solutions, LLC is the first-place winner of the $40,000 cash prize from the competition. Husband and wife team, Heath and Ashlee Miller are both proud ASU Alumni who started a landscaping business during college and continued it after graduating. After almost 30 years of operation it has now expanded into offering a multitude of exterior services and construction services to commercial clients in the Concho Valley and West Texas. Keep an eye out for their brand-new parking lot sweeper!
Second Place
Wilde Engineering and Surveying, a locally-owned engineering firm, won 2nd place and a $20,000 prize in the San Angelo Business Plan Competition. Blake and Erica Wilde worked with the advising team and students from the Norris Vincent College of Business to draft a quality business plan that focuses on their expansion plans. The funds will significantly contribute to the growth of Wilde Engineering and Surveying. The funds will facilitate a physical office expansion and the hiring of new staff, enhancing both their business capacity and local employment opportunities. As a family-owned firm catering to rural markets, its success showcases the potential of local businesses in driving community development.
Third Place
Bubba D’s Barbecue LLC is the third-place winner of the 2023 Business Plan Competition, earning them a $10,000 cash prize and in-kind professional marketing services. Austen Dillard, the founder and owner, always enjoyed grilling and using his family’s old barbecue sauce recipe to add the finishing touch. This inspired him to start his business, which also includes two additional barbecue sauce flavors – Texas Mustard and Fire Habanero – and an All-Purpose Seasoning. One year later, Bubba D’s products can be found in retail outlets including Eggemeyer’s General Store, Westlake Ace Hardware, Mr. Boots, Mardi Gras Liquor, and Lone Star Liquor. Bubba D’s Barbecue continues working to establish more retail partnerships and hopes to be in a grocery store near you soon!
