Pueblo Alliance LLC Honored as SBA Rural Small Business of the Year

Ron Lovato’s leadership and strategic partnerships have helped create jobs, expand contracting capacity and strengthen economic opportunity in Northern New Mexico

Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) is pleased to announce that Ron Lovato, President of Pueblo Alliance LLC and CEO of TSAY Corp., has been honored as New Mexico’s Rural Owned Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) during National Small Business Week. Lovato sits on Northern’s Board of Regents and is a business client of the Small Business Development Center at NNMC.  

“Lovato's achievements with Pueblo Alliance as New Mexico's Rural Owned Small Business of the Year reflect both personal excellence and the powerful impact of small businesses across the state," said Justin Crossie, SBA Region VI Regional Administrator. "Lovato highlights the vital role small businesses play in strengthening local and rural communities."

Pueblo Alliance LLC, which began operations in 2022, is a joint venture composed of two Native American Enterprise Development Corporations: Tsay Services (Ohkay Owingeh) and San Ildefonso Services (Pueblo of San Ildefonso). The company operates in four areas for TRIAD, the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) contractor: contingent labor-primary escort, busing and parking enforcement, construction maintenance and distribution center services. The Alliance has made significant progress in job creation and economic development through strategic partnerships and innovative business practices. 

“A key driver of Pueblo Alliance's success – though not always immediately visible – has been TRIAD, LLC's, unwavering commitment to Northern New Mexico and its communities,” Lovato said. “At the center of this commitment is the Española Valley, the economic and cultural heart of Northern New Mexico. Through its partnership with Pueblo Alliance, TRIAD has achieved in eight years a level of engagement and operational integration within the Española Valley that had remained largely unrealized during the previous 75 years of Los Alamos National Laboratory operations.

“Among the accomplishments of which Pueblo Alliance is most proud is the advancement of third-party logistics capabilities in the Española Valley in direct support of TRIAD's mission. Working collaboratively with SBDC Director Julianna Barbee at the Española Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Pueblo Alliance successfully identified suitable facilities, developed access to a qualified workforce, and leveraged critical business systems support necessary to build sustainable operational capacity.

“These efforts have produced tangible results, helping to dispel the long-standing perception that the Española Valley lacked the capacity or capability to support Los Alamos National Laboratory contracting requirements. Today, the region is demonstrating its ability to serve as a valuable and growing contributor to the Laboratory's mission while creating meaningful economic opportunities throughout Northern New Mexico.”

Since 2003, under Lovato’s leadership, TSAY has worked to diversify its business holdings. That effort led to the creation of TSAY Construction and Services LLC, a construction and maintenance company focused on providing services to LANL. One of the company’s foundational achievements was winning the LANL custodial services contract through a competitive bid.

Pueblo Alliance says it has achieved major goals that support both company growth and mission-critical functions for LANL and TRIAD. It has helped create efficiencies in contracting while reducing a backlog of projects at Triad. It played a significant role in the contingent labor contract and in 2022 provided more than 90 employees. Pueblo Alliance also participated successfully in the Department of Energy Mentor-Protégé agreement with TRIAD. 

The collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory is especially notable, supporting a distribution center that serves LANL while helping ensure workforce development remains a priority. That approach has helped create economic growth, strengthen community resilience and keep financial resources within the region.

Lovato continues to look for opportunities to build partnerships that meet business needs while creating jobs in Northern New Mexico. By engaging in partnerships, Pueblo businesses can diversify their service offerings, such as providing distribution centers or transportation services for LANL and LANL employees.  Lovato has partnered with local business partnerships such as Performance Maintenance Inc (PMI) and Hacienda Home Centers to fulfill contract needs for LANL. He also emphasized business diversification as a means for Pueblo businesses to expand their services and increase revenue streams. 

Lovato continues to empower Native entrepreneurs to better compete in various markets and enhance operational capabilities. He is also strengthening community bonds by supporting local businesses. LANL partnerships and contracts have increased the visibility of the work TSAY and Pueblo Alliance do together, which is opening doors to new business opportunities. Lovato has contributed positively to the Pueblo community and Northern New Mexico businesses by fostering unity, partnerships, collaboration, resilience and sustainability. 

Photos: 

Group photo, from left: Peter Fant, CEO of San Ildefonso Services; Daven Quintana, PMI Chief Operating Officer; Trish Alley, Small Business Advocate, LANL Small Business Program; Yvonne Gonzales, Small Business Program Manager, LANL; Eric Quintana, CEO and Co-founder of PMI (SBA National New Mexico Small Business of The Year Award); Julianna Martinez-Barbee, SBDC Director NNMC, New Mexico Small Business Development Center; Ron Lovato, CEO, TSAY Corporation and Pueblo Alliance, LLC (SBA National New Mexico Rural Small Business of the Year); Justin Crossie, SBA Region VI Regional Administrator and Larry Phillips Jr., COO Tsay Cooperation. Photo credit: Eric Williams Photography SBA photographer

Ron Lovato, CEO, TSAY Corporation and Pueblo Alliance, LLC (SBA National New Mexico Rural Small Business of the Year and Julianna Martinez-Barbee SBDC Director NNMC, New Mexico Small Business Development Center. Photo credit: Eric Williams Photography SBA photographer