Area businesses get boost from PPP loans

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