Environmental consultant named Small Business Person of the Year
September Myres, CEO and founder of Sundance Consulting, was named Idaho’s Small Business Person of the Year 2018 by the US Small Business Administration. Under her guidance, Sundance has grown rapidly to become a competitive provider of environmental consultancy services, supporting clients like the Department of Energy and US National Parks Service.
Every year, the US Small Business Administration (SBA) – which supports and advances the efforts of American entrepreneurs – gives out its Small Business Person of the Year awards to exceptional candidates in every US state. Winners are required to have been in business for at least three years, and to have grown in terms of net worth, jobs, and sales. The SBA also looks for the presence of innovative products or services, triumph over adversity, and contributions to the community.
This year, the Idaho Small Business Person of the Year award was given to September Myres, president and CEO of environmental consulting firm Sundance Consulting. The firm provides environmental, compliance, natural resources, cultural resources, and remediation services to clients in the US and abroad.
Founded in 2005 based in Pocatello, Idaho, the consultancy has grown to employ more than 80 professionals across the US. Sundance has additional offices in Alaska, Baltimore, New Mexico, Ohio, and Guam. The firm posted revenues of $11 million in 2016, a growth of $10 million since 2011. In that same time period, Sundance opened seven offices and hired 50 employees.
“What a tremendous honor to have the privilege to select September Myres as the Idaho Small Business Person of the Year,” commented SBA Boise District Director Gary Eisenbraun. “She is a great role model for other entrepreneurs to follow. Her hard work and dedication, coupled with passion for what she does, the perseverance knowing that it’s not always easy, and a strong commitment to stay-the-course, underscore what it takes to succeed.”
Myres was raised on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho, where she was imbued with a deep respect for the land and nature’s resources. Prior to founding Sundance, she worked for several environmental firms, where she supported clients that included the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Pueblos of New Mexico, and Native Alaskan Villages under the Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Program (NALEMP).
Myres founded Sundance Consulting in 2005 to provide clients with solutions to environmental issues stemming from previous Department of Defense (DoD) activities on tribal lands. Since then, Sundance has supported the Department of Energy, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. National Parks Service, and the U.S. Forest Service, among other government agencies. Sundance has also supported numerous commercial clients.
“As Sundance continues its growth, we will also continue to be a good steward of the land through our daily work practices,” Myres said. “We will continue our responsible use, protection, and restoration of our environment for the plants, the animals, and the people that rely upon it.”
Sundance was a part of the SBA 8(a) Development Program, which helps small, disadvantaged firms compete in the federal marketplace. The program helped Myres grow Sundance into an effective player in the environmental consulting industry. Added Eisenbraun, “It truly is a pleasure to know that the SBA played a part in her success.”
