Purdue professor, alumnus honored for business ventures

Geri Sanchez Aglipay, SBA Region V administrator; Stacey Poynter, SBA Indiana district director; Donte Wilburn; Klein Ileleji; Andrew Reinke, SBA’s Indiana District Export Council chair; and David Watkins, vice president of small business at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. (Photo provided by U.S. Small Business Administration Indiana District Office) Download image

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Indiana District Office honored Klein Ileleji, professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and Purdue alumnus Donte Wilburn on May 5 at Purdue’s Convergence Center during SBA National Small Business Week.

Ileleji, co-founder and CEO of JUA Technologies International, was recognized as the Indiana and Great Lakes Region Exporter of the Year. Ileleji's business exports solar-based dehydrating systems that dry foods into tasty, shelf-stable and nutritious food products.

SBA recognized Wilburn as the SBA Indiana Small Business Person of the Year. Wilburn, owner of Premier Detailing in Lafayette, has grown his auto detailing company from two to 28 employees, expanded service lines to include fleet and dealership contracting, merchandise and window tinting, and opened a second location in Kokomo with plans for a third in Avon later this year.