A SERGEANT BLUFF WOMAN HAS BEEN NAMED THE IOWA SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR.
CATHY BISHOP RUNS AGGIES, A BBQ CATERING COMPANY IN SERGEANT BLUFF.
BISHOP IS A 1983 GRADUATE OF TEXAS A&M (THE AGGIES), AND SPENT TEN YEARS IN COLORADO AS A BANK
EXAMINER.
SHE HAD ALWAYS DREAMED OF BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR THOUGH, AND IN 1994 CATHY CAME HOME TO SERGEANT BLUFF AND OPENED AGGIES AS A RESTAURANT WITH SOME CATERING.
IN 2009 AGGIES PIVOTED TO CATERING FULL TIME AND BISHOP TURNED THE RESTAURANT INTO AN EVENT VENUE.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, AGGIES STARTED “COVID CARRYOUT” WHERE CUSTOMERS COULD PLACE PICK-UP ORDERS FROM A DAILY MENU POSTED ON FACEBOOK.
THE CONCEPT, ALONG WITH TWO LOANS AND A RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND FROM SBA, HELPED AGGIES
SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC WITHOUT LAYING OFF ANY EMPLOYEES.
AGGIES HAS GROWN SINCE AND CURRENTLY EMPLOYS OVER 50 FULL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.
THE NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS AWARD CEREMONIES WILL TAKE PLACE APRIL 28 – 29TH AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL STATE WINNERS WILL BE HONORED AND THE NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR FROM THE STATE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED.
