[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 73 (Thursday, May 4, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6146-S6147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SOUTH DAKOTA SMALL BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I may be a little biased, but I have 
always believed if you give South Dakotans an even break, they can make 
a living even under the toughest circumstances.
  Yesterday I met with a man who proves my point. His name is Randy 
Boyd, and he was just named South Dakota's 1995 Small Business Owner of 
the Year by the Small Business Administration.
  Randy lives in a town of 300 people called Geddes in southeast South 
Dakota with his wife, Sheila, and their two young children, Cassidy and 
Vincent.
  He moved back to Geddes in 1982, after his dad had a heart attack and 
helped move his father's gunsmithing business from his garage into a 
400-square-foot shop, where they worked together repairing guns. Later 
that year, Randy and his father bought a two-spindle carving machine 
that could make up to eight gunstocks a day.
  Today, Boyd's Gunstocks Industries is one of the largest original-
equipment manufactuers of gunstocks in the country. It has grown from 3 
employees in 1986 to 22 full-time and 10 part-time workers, plus 10 who 
do contract work at home. Company sales have skyrocketed from $29,000 
in 1986 to more than $1 million last year.
  In 1992, with help from the Small Business Administration, Randy was 
able to obtain a new warehouse for raw materials, as well as new 
computerized equipment to improve efficiency. The business now occupies 
13,500 square feet.
  One of Randy's biggest challenges is finding enough skilled workers 
in a 
[[Page S6147]] town of only 300 people. He is exploring the possibility 
of opening a second facility soon in another town in order to hire new 
workers and take advantage of new international trade opportunities.
  In addition to creating jobs and opportunities for South Dakota 
families, Randy has served on the Geddes City Council. He is a 
volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician. He is also a 
black belt karate instructor.
  In South Dakota, small business has always been big business. This 
week, as we celebrate Small Business Week in our State, I commend the 
Small Business Administration for the partnerships it is forging with 
South Dakota business owners. And I offer my congratulations to Randy 
Boyd for his hard work and his outstanding contributions to his 
community.


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