Our Annual Award reception, held annually in May during SF Small Business Week, is a chance to celebrate Bay Area family businesses making outstanding impacts in their communities. Award winners have shown true heart, longevity, and commitment to community service. All of them serve a strong ethnic or specialty customer base that might otherwise be ignored.
Every year, we honor awardees from this year and the last. New winners are recognized by elected officials and professionally photographed with their family. The next year, this photo is offered to them—specially framed—as a lasting symbol of endurance and longevity. But the highlight of the Award Reception is hearing this year’s winners speak. They’re the people shaping our neighborhoods and communities. It’s an honor to recognize their great work.
Gellert Family Business Center Award Reception
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
USF Lone Mountain Handlery Room (LM100), 2800 Turk Blvd, San Francisco
The New Roots / New Routes Conference will take place on May 6, 2025, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the USF Hilltop Campus, 2820 Turk Street. The following evening, on May 7, 2025, the Gellert Family Business Awards Reception will be held at the Handlery Room (LM100), 2800 Turk Street from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Find our registration links below and join us as we celebrate and recognize outstanding businesses in our community. Stay tuned—this year’s awardees will be announced soon!
The Gellert Family Business Center’s 25th Anniversary Award Reception will immediately follow the Hospitality/Food Symposium on May 7th at 5:30 pm, at McLaren Conference Center, Room 250-252.
Stay tuned, our 2024 awardees will be announced shortly!
Gold – $7,500
Silver – $5000
Bronze – $2500
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• For those who cannot attend, please consider making a donation!
Pet Camp has a long history of contributing to community-based activities that align with the Jesuit values of service, care for the whole person, and commitment to the common good. This includes partnerships with animal welfare organizations, support for local business organizations, support for San Francisco families by supporting countless schools’ silent auctions, and employment opportunities for San Franciscans that need a career outside of technology, healthcare or human hospitality.
606 Restaurant has been active in revitalizing Chinatown, North Beach, and SF! A family-owned restaurant, 606 (formerly New Sun Hong Kong), has proudly served the Bay Area since 1989. After nearly four years of closure due to the pandemic, the next generation reopened as 606—symbolizing family, balance, growth, and transformation. The company has emphasized the preservation of Chinese traditions, cultures, and San Francisco neighborhoods before they’re lost.
The Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Foundation make it possible for small businesses to be honored each year for their business achievements and community engagement.
Congratulations to the 2025 Gellert Family Business Award Winners, Clement Nursery and Luster National, Inc for exemplifying the best of San Francisco family business.
The buildings that make up Clement Nursery date back to 1904 when they were part of a dairy farm. Aside from its rich history as San Francisco’s oldest nursery, Clement Nursery is also known for its inventory of particularly resilient and tough plants. Focusing on sustainability, the nursery offers a selection of California native plants that have low-water needs once established and carries drought-tolerant species from South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand—places that have a similar climate to California.
Luster National, Inc. is a strategic consulting and program management firm that works on large, complex infrastructure programs across the United States. Luster provides professional services and solutions ranging from nationwide disaster recovery to strategic consulting and program management services on the California High Speed Rail Program. Luster is proud to be a family-owned business built on three pillars: client focus, professional integrity, and social responsibility. Founded in 1990 by father, Orville Luster and son Robert Luster, Luster is now embracing its third generation of family leadership and continuing with community contributions that extend beyond mere service provision.
Congratulations to the 2024 Gellert Family Business Award Winners, Tin Wah Noodle Company and Barrios Painting for exemplifying the best of San Francisco family business.
Founded in 1999 by Clodulfo Barrios, Barrios Painting Inc. has been a cornerstone of the San Francisco business landscape, providing top-notch painting and repair services for over two decades. What sets Barrios Painting Inc. apart is not only their exceptional craftsmanship and fair pricing but also their deep-rooted involvement in neighborhood initiatives. From volunteering their time and expertise to paint classrooms at Rice School in the Bayview to promptly cleaning up tagged properties, they have demonstrated a profound commitment to uplifting San Francisco. Moreover, Barrios Painting Inc. actively engages in guiding the community around family business ventures, offering advice and employment assistance within their neighborhood.
Quote from the owner: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help; stay up-to-date with new tools and industry trends; and create a network that works for you.”
With roots dating back to the 1940s, Tin Wah Noodle Co. is a symbol of tradition, resilience, and culinary excellence in San Francisco’s cultural landscape. Led by fourth-generation noodle-makers, they uphold a profound commitment to preserving family recipes and time-honored noodle-making techniques, garnering acclaim within the Asian community and beyond. Their deep community engagement, from hosting pop-up events to supporting local organizations, underscores their enduring impact on San Francisco’s social fabric, embodying the essence of cultural preservation and community enrichment throughout their 80+ years in business.
Quote from the owner: “Getting to your goal requires taking the first step. It’s okay that you may not achieve everything on the first try but learn and figure out another way to get there. It’s just one step closer to your goal.”
Congratulations to the 2023 Gellert Family Business Award Winners, Ace Mailing, Cumaica Café, and Sweet Joanna’s Café for exemplifying the best of San Francisco family business.
Ace Mailing, a San Francisco-based third-generation business, has been offering full-service direct marketing solutions since its inception in 1977. Owner Gwen Kaplan, with her mother and husband’s support, established the company with a mission to provide exceptional direct marketing services—passionate advocates for economic development programs. Gwen Kaplan’s sons, Miles, and Mathew Kaplan are carrying the family legacy forward and also adapting to the evolving needs of the mailing and advertising industry.
Quote from the owner: “Be willing to learn from your failures and strive for excellence.”
Roberto Guerrero, a native of Nicaragua, founded Cumaica’s Coffee House to bring Latin American family-style service to San Francisco. Guerrero’s passion for coffee began with his grandfather’s coffee plantation, where he learned the art of coffee. Guerrero has transformed Cumaica into a beloved neighborhood destination. The business is also an advocate for people with Down’s syndrome and employs them to help change public perceptions about the capacity within the physically challenged community.
Quote from the owner: “Leadership is about discipline, accountability, and not just authority.”
Sweet Joanna’s Cafe is a beloved downtown San Francisco Cafe famous for its breakfast, lunch, salad bar, and catering. It’s a popular spot for USF graduate students and was founded by Joseph Abughosh in 1992. Abughosh holds the conviction that Sweet Joanna transcends mere business; instead, it stands as a familial establishment crafted upon aspirations and enjoyment.
Quote from the owner. “Thank you, USF Gellert, Family Business Center, for empowering us.”
These are businesses built on heart, longevity, and deep commitment to their communities — the kind that shape neighborhoods, preserve culture, and pass something meaningful on to the next generation.
