Garner Holt Productions recognized by U.S. Small Business Administration
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The city of San Bernardino is pleased to congratulate Garner Holt Productions, Inc. for receiving the Small Business of the Year award from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Santa Ana District Office, which serves Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The Economic Development Agency of San Bernardino, the city’s redevelopment agency, has worked closely with the company to secure the resources it needed to become the world’s leading manufacturer in the animatronics and special effects industries.
The award was given as part of the administration’s National Small Business Week, which has recognized the contributions of America’s small businesses since 1963. CEO Garner Holt accepted the award during a ceremony at San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino on June 2. The company was nominated by the National Development Council’s Grow America Fund, which has helped finance the company’s growth in recent years.
Based in San Bernardino, Garner Holt Productions designs and manufactures animatronics for companies such as The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, NASA, Coca-Cola, Chuck E. Cheese, Lockheed Martin and Caesars Palace. The company was selected as the regional small business of the year because of its advancements in animatronics technology and its recent expansion in San Bernardino.
“Garner Holt Productions is a local trailblazer that has grown at a tremendous rate,” said Emil Marzullo, Economic Development Agency interim executive director. “It’s wonderful to see the company recognized for contributions to its industry and our community. San Bernardino is fortunate to have an employer that is expanding its footprint and creating jobs for local residents.”
Since 2007, Garner Holt Productions has acquired additional property on East Cooley Avenue and now operates 60,000 square feet of design and production space spread across three buildings. The company has also doubled its staff of engineers, designers, artisans, specialized technicians from 40 to 80 employees. The city of San Bernardino Economic Development Agency has helped facilitate company growth by helping them access financing, lease commercial real estate property and utilize the San Bernardino Valley Enterprise Zone tax credits.
About the Economic Development Agency of San Bernardino
The Economic Development Agency of San Bernardino is a focused, diversified organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of San Bernardino by creating jobs, eliminating physical and social blight, supporting culture and the arts, developing a balanced mix of quality housing, along with attracting and assisting businesses both independent and through public-private partnerships. For more information, visit www.sbrda.org.