Four small businesses win cash awards from i.d.e.a.wf

Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News
·1 min read

A snack business, a restaurant, a business service company and a home tech business were winners in the 2023 i.d.e.a.wf competition.

An audience filled the room for the i.d.e.a.wf Award Ceremony luncheon on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at MSU.
An audience filled the room for the i.d.e.a.wf Award Ceremony luncheon on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at MSU.

I.d.e.a.wf at Midwestern State University is a program that offers selected local Wichita Falls-area businesses training and cash awards to get them started.

More: Winners of i.d.e.a. WF contest to be announced Oct. 18

Out of six finalists, four received cash awards Wednesday.

Founder and CEO of Lerma/, Pedro Lerma was the guest speaker for the i.d.e.a.wf Award Ceremony luncheon Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at MSU.
Founder and CEO of Lerma/, Pedro Lerma was the guest speaker for the i.d.e.a.wf Award Ceremony luncheon Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at MSU.

Winners are:

  • HomeTex - J.D. Dixon. The company offers services in home automation and controls.

  • Alley-Alley Business Services, LLC - Leslie and Boyce Alley. The company provides bookkeeping and related business services.

  • Snookies Craft Kitchen - Pedro and Jessica Cruz. A craft kitchen located in Scotland, Texas.

  • Seasons Eating Snack Company, LLC - Todd and Cara Mullenix-Artigue. A wholesale manufacturer of gluten-free and refined-sugar free granola bars.

Guest speaker at the luncheon was Pedro Lerma, founder of LERMA/, a cross-cultural marketing company. Lerma told of his humble early life in Wichita Falls before becoming successful in his communications business.

More: Completing degree at MSU high point for Lerma

He entertained the audience at Midwestern State University with commercials his company has made, including ads that ran in the Super Bowl in February.

Lerman said after he started his business career, he returned to MSU at age 53 to finish his bachelor's degree.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Four small businesses win cash awards from i.d.e.a.wf