By STEFAN MODRICH
smodrich@fortbendstar.com
The Small Business Administration (SBA) provided a lifeline to many businesses of varying sizes and across several industries in Fort Bend County through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The list of loan recipients in zip code 77478, which includes Sugar Land, was dominated by food distributors and restaurant franchisors. Tri City Foods, Inc., which is one of the largest franchise networks of Burger King in the area, garnered a $10 million PPP loan, the most in 77478. Within the same zip code is a Dynamic Fitness location, which received $539,736 in PPP loans and $150,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).
Jared Williams, CEO and managing partner at Dynamic Fitness, which also has locations in Pearland and Katy, said he was impressed with the efficiency of the application process and the distribution of the loans.
“This was probably the fastest thing I’ve seen the government actually do,” Williams said. “The government gave empowerment to the local banks to speed things up, because obviously, time was of the essence to be able to get funds out to these local businesses so they can stay afloat, keep employees employed and keep facilities maintained and everything that comes as a continuous expense whether you’re open or not.”
Williams opened his first Dynamic Fitness location 11 years ago. Before that, he spent nearly four years working in management at 24 Hour Fitness. His top priority has been trying to keep morale high around his clubs and to guide his staff through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Us being able to maneuver through this and still keep these guys employed and focused and keeping our clubs maintained and equipped, that’s the entirety of the (purpose of the funding),” Williams said. “We’re just a local business around here just trying to do our absolute best with a Whac-A-Mole of problems to be able to navigate through this as sound and as ethically as possible.”
President Donald Trump signed a $900 billion COVID-relief package into law on Dec. 27, which will extend both the PPP and EIDL programs.
Gary Henderson, an SBA lending professional and the executive vice president of Allegiance Bank, said small businesses that are first-time applicants for PPP loans and have 500 or fewer employees are eligible to apply for the next round of loan distribution.
For businesses that already received funding during the first draw of PPP loans, business owners would need to demonstrate that they have suffered a 25 percent reduction in revenue from any one quarter from 2019 to 2020. In addition, they must have no more than 300 employees.
Henderson advised that business owners and entrepreneurs should set their expectations based on the first round of PPP lending, following the same steps to get their books in order. He also emphasized applicants be patient with the process, whether or not they have applied for aid before.
“It should go a little bit smoother (with the second round of PPP loans), since we’ve already been down this road once,” Henderson said.
In the Missouri City zip code of 77459, a variety of industries, including energy, human resources, fitness and real estate, were represented among the businesses which received the 10 largest loans. Nestar Medcare LLC got a $2.22 million loan, the highest in 77459.
In the heavily industrial zip code of 77477, which includes most of Stafford, the largest loan went to Puffer-Sweiven LP. The company, which makes equipment for oil and gas production and other energy sources, among other things, got $10 million.
The 77479 zip code encompasses parts of Sugar Land and Missouri City as well as Greatwood. There, the biggest PPP loan recipient was the Sugar Land firm Resource Staffing Inc., which checked in at $3.71 million.
Parts of Missouri City and Fort Bend Houston are located within the boundaries of the 77489 zip code, where Texas Pride Disposal Solutions, LLC received $1.72 million.
North of Highway 90 lies 77498, a zip code that is home to both Sugar Land’s regional airport and Constellation Field, the ballpark that houses the Sugar Land Skeeters. Welker, Inc., an oil and gas equipment manufacturer, procured a $1.55 million PPP loan.
McElvy Vasquez LLC, which publishes the Fort Bend Star and is located in the 77477 zip code, received $35,394 in PPP loans.
“After watching most of our small-business partners shut their doors earlier this year, I wasn’t certain our business would survive,” said Jonathan McElvy, publisher of the Fort Bend Star and CEO of McElvy Vasquez LLC. “This wasn’t a self-induced disruption in business. This was an ordered disruption by the medical and political leaders of our nation, and for us and our small-business partners, it was devastating. Without PPP, I’m not sure we’d be publishing this edition of the Fort Bend Star.”
Loan recipient lists by name, zip code, city and other criteria can be found at https://searchppp.com/.
Big Lift for Small Businesses
The following is a breakdown of the top Payroll Protection Program beneficiaries in each of the six zip codes served by the Fort Bend Star, according to covidbailouttracker.com. Loan amounts are listed next to each business name.
77459
Nestar Medcare LLC: $2.22 million
GPI Real Estate Management Corporation: $1.14 million
RKR Restaurants LLC: $945,500
Moodswing Fitness Systems Inc.:$786,351
IPS Staffing Inc.: $772,000
R.A.W. Oilfield Services, LLC: $675,600
Vere Technology, LLC: $658,092
HMG Park Manor of Quail Valley, LLC: $650,260
I2U Systems, Inc.: $554,525
D.V. Subway, L.P.: $543,000
77477
Puffer-Sweiven LP: $10 million
MLN Company & Affiliates: $7.11 million
ATEC, Inc.: $5.14 million
LEEDO Manufacturing Co. LP: $4.62 million
Firetron, Inc.: $3.95 million
General Technologies, Inc.: $3.65 million
MSF Electric, Inc.: $3.43 million
GSM Wings, LLC: $3.16 million
Helfman Ford Inc.: $2.39 million
Radley Staffing LLC: $2.21 million
77478
Tri City Foods, Inc.: $10 million
HZ OPS Holdings, Inc.: $10 million
Z&H Foods Inc.: $9.07 million
Houston Foods, Inc.: $9.06 million
HAZA Foods LLC: $8.42 million
Northeast Foods LLC: $7.77 million
Applied Optoelectronics Inc.: $6.23 million
HAZA Foods of Louisiana: $5.93 million
HZ LM Casual Foods, LLC: $5.32 million
Hydro Resources Holdings, LLC: $5.08 million
77479
Resource Staffing Inc.: $3.71 million
Horn Solutions Inc.: $3.24 million
San-Tex Restaurants, Inc.: $2.56 million
Westin Homes and Properties, LP: $2.5 million
Interstaff, Inc.: $1.47 million
Upma Cosmetics, Inc.: $1.25 million
Apollo Healthcare at Sugar Land LP: $1.15 million
St. Laurence Catholic School: $1.01 million
Exelz Staffing: $1 million
Kit Professionals, Inc.: $867,299
77489
Texas Pride Disposal Solutions, LLC: $1.72 million
Apres Management, Inc.: $1.53 million
CD&N Manufacturing LLC: $1.23 million
Nature Best Pre-Cut & Produce, LLC: $1.13 million
Willbanks Contractor Support LLC: $777,000
Texas Landscape Group, LLC: $750,000
Floors For Living, LLC: $745,600
Red Smith Sales, Inc.: $744,000
Ham-Let USA, Inc.: $611,002
Willbanks & Associates, Inc. $604,700
77498
Welker, Inc.: $1.55 million
H.L.U. Services, Inc.: $1.14 million
Flexera Global Inc.: $1.06 million
Western Airways, Inc.:$993,900
Romtex Enterprises, Inc.: $740,100
A1 Dans Discount Movers, Inc.: $537,582
Innovative Precast Concrete & Supplies LP: $488,400
SLBM, LLC: $469,400
Rouxpour Memorial LLC: $430,200
St. Theresa Catholic School: $423,000
