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Paul Merrill – 2018 Utah Small Business Person of the Year

Paul Merrill – 2018 Utah Small Business Person of the Year

Many people may not know realize that the infamous FatBoy Ice Cream Sandwiches and Sundaes are made in a small dairy town in Richmond, Utah. Casper’s Ice Cream is the maker of these delicious novelties, and Paul Casper Merrill (the President and CEO of Casper’s), is a third generation family owner. His grandfather, Casper Merrill, founded the company back in 1925.

This 93 year old family operated business has a lot to boast about. Not only are the Fat Boy sandwiches Casper’s most popular selling product (making about 485 tons of FatBoys a day), but the family is keeping their grandfather’s legacy living on.

Earlier this year, Paul Merrill was named the Utah SBA Small Business Person of the Year for 2018. That’s no easy task, considering there are thousands of other small businesses in the state of Utah.

This award from the U.S. Small Business Administration acknowledges the hard work, dedication, challenges, innovation, and community investment that is required of America’s most successful small business men and women.

Merrill is a suitable representative for such an award. When he took over the company in 2002, he helped build a new, more efficient and sustainable facility. He also boosted his company’s sales from $22 million in 2014 to $35 million in 2016 during the recession, reaching his goal of hitting $20 million in sales by 2020 six years earlier than planned.

In May, Merrill was recognized, along with other Utah-based small business owners, at the 2018 Small Business Week Awards Celebration, in Salt Lake City. He was also invited to join 53 other small business owners from across the nation to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony recognizing the National Small Business Person of the Year.

Marla Trollan, Director of the SBA’s Utah District Office said, “Utah has a long history of entrepreneurship and innovation, and we are proud to honor these small businesses with these awards.”

Merrill, and other small business owners like him, are the foundation for the success in America’s job economy. There are over 30 million businesses in the US today. Linda McMahon, SBA administrator, said, “Small businesses truly are the engines of our economy — and our communities. Over half of the U.S. workforce either owns or works for a small business, and small businesses create two out of every three net new jobs in the private sector. Small businesses may not put their names on stadiums and skyscrapers, but they likely put them on the uniforms of their local Little League and bowling teams. They are the delis and salons and retailers and manufacturers that make each community special. Across our great country, neighborhoods and families depend on the success of small business.”

What Mr. Merrill has done for Casper’s Ice Cream and the Utah economy is every small business owner’s dream. We congratulate President, and CEO, Paul Merrill on such a prestigious, and well-deserved award.

2 Comments
  • Willa Porter
    Posted at 01:36h, 04 November Reply

    Well deserved! Love FatBoys!!

    • admin
      Posted at 01:05h, 16 May Reply

      Thank you, Willa! We appreciate the love and support!

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