Tiffany Klingensmith, president of Unconventional Solutions, Inc. (USI Group) (Wixom, Michigan, USA), was the winner of this year’s U.S. Small Business Administration Michigan District Office’s Small Business Person of the Year award. The 2024 National Small Business Week award, whose recipients are chosen from more than 9,000 small businesses in Michigan, exemplifies excellence, innovation, and commitment to the local community and economy.
In September 2022, Klingensmith opened USI Group, a women-owned, Michigan-based business that repairs, protects, and upgrades infrastructure with composite repair and high-performance protective coatings. For more than 15 years, she has offered customers corrosion, erosion, and chemical assault solutions as a certified repair and protective paint specialist.
USI Group helps power, natural gas, manufacturing, mining, and oil companies offer a more sustainable future by repairing leaks and upgrading systems with composite repair and protective coating solutions. USI Group has a team of AMPP/NACE Certified Coating Inspectors who work toward providing the right solution for their clients’ needs and critical infrastructure.
In 2012, Klingensmith purchased a building for her headquarters with an SBA 504 loan in Wixom. She also expanded to two additional locations in Ohio and Indiana. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, she was forced to close her Indiana location. Currently, she has 17 employees staffing the Michigan and Ohio operations. Klingensmith also contributes her time to the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council by mentioning other women business owners.
“To start a business born out of tragedy and nurture and grow it is an accomplishment,” says SBA Michigan District Director Laketa Henderson. “[She] continues to volunteer an enormous amount of time mentoring women business owners to ensure their success, so they can avoid the pitfalls and obstacles you came across during your journey, is commitment and is outstanding, and [that is] why Tiffany is our Small Business Person of the Year!”
Klingensmith will represent the state of Michigan at this year’s National Small Business Week, held on April 28-May 4, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
For more information about USI Group, visit www.usigroups.com.