Local businesswoman and entrepreneur Lois Gamerman was recently named “Maryland Small Business Person of the Year” by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
A graduate of Milford Mill High School and the University of Maryland, College Park, Gamerman is president and CEO of Soft Stuff Distributors, a Jessup-based specialty food distributor for the Mid-Atlantic region. She and more than 50 other small business owners and entrepreneurs from around the country were recognized at an event on Monday, May 1, as part of National Small Business Week (Apr. 30-May 6).
“I am honored to be recognized,” said Gamerman, who lives in Columbia. “Through the dynamic efforts of my amazing team, we were able to survive the pandemic and have been able to grow Soft Stuff to current annualized sales volume in excess of $20 million and more than 50 employees in 2023. It was not easy for small businesses to adapt to the new challenges we faced during and following the pandemic. This award spotlights the importance of small businesses on our local economies and individual families.”
Founded more than 30 years ago by Gamerman and her husband Bob, Soft Stuff is known for specialty foods, soups, desserts, pastries and baked goods, with an expanded collection of top quality prepackaged, natural foods and beverage items.
The Gamermans plan to expand beyond the food distribution business to the cold storage and third party logistics fulfillment business. Mid-Atlantic Cold Storage is actively negotiating for a property that would add capacity for 8,200 pallets. Mid-Atlantic Cold Storage will be the only woman-owned cold storage facility in the nation, and will address the growing demand for cold storage that is currently woefully underserved.
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