Corliss Udoema received a Congressional Commendation, published in the Congressional Record on June 2, 2017 in recognition of her success as a business entrepreneur and her selection as the 2017 Virginia Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Honorable Barbara Comstock of Virginia, rose to recognize Ms. Udoema. The text of the Congressional Commendation as published in the Congressional Record, is reproduced below. The Commendation is also available in PDF format at this link.
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN RECOGNITION OF CORLISS UDOEMA
______
HON. BARBARA COMSTOCK
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Friday, June 2, 2017
Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize my constituent,
Corliss Udoema, who is a successful entrepreneur and holds the unique
distinction of being selected as the 2017 Virginia Small Business
Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Corliss began her career in the federal government, where she worked
with the U.S. Marine Corps, Department of the Navy, and the Department
of the Army. Then after a successful 32-year career with the federal
government, Corliss started Contract Solutions, Inc. (CSI) in 2006. CSI
is a small business whose mission is to assist federal, state and local
governments, private for-profit and non-profit clients, by offering
professional staffing and management support services. Since its
inception, CSI has thrived, as it has evolved from a one-person company
to a multi-million-dollar business. CSI has proven to be a model for
other businesses to emulate, which is why in 2013 it was chosen to
participate in the U.S. Small Business Administration's esteemed
Mentor-Protege Program, designed to enable successful companies to
develop strong protege firms by providing newer firms still in their
nascent with various forms of business development assistance.
I am impressed by Corliss's dedication and how in just a mere decade
she has transformed CSI from a small startup business into a tremendous
success and engine of economic growth. Starting and operating any small
business, let alone one as successful as CSI, is an incredibly arduous
process, as small business owners face many challenges and obstacles.
The success of CSI is a testimony to Corliss's hard work, commitment,
and innovative ideas. In addition to her extensive and distinguished
career in the federal government and private sector, Corliss has always
found time to serve her community. She is the founder and president of
Agape Love in Action, a nonprofit organization which provides support
for those in need, and serves as a minister at Mount Olive Baptist
Church in Centreville, Virginia.
Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Corliss Udoema for her
extraordinary achievement. I look forward to her ongoing contributions
to Prince William County's diverse and innovative small business
community and I wish her the best in her future endeavors.
