A.R. Refrigeration is a company that specializes in HVAC services in the Lubbock, Amarillo, and Roswell, NM areas. When COVID-19 hit the local economy in early 2020, business slowed down tremendously. As a result, the owner, Adam Ramos, continued to pay his employees while he took an enormous pay cut; oftentimes going without a paycheck for a period. Mr. Ramos sought assistance from the Lubbock SBDC. Austin Payne, Lubbock SBDC CARES Consultant, explained both the PPP and the EIDL program to Mr. Ramos. He applied for and received the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the EIDL Advance but declined the EIDL. Due to Mr. Ramos being able to secure the PPP funds, he has been able to operate at full capacity for the summer season in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico, which is a very profitable time for any HVAC business. Mr. Ramos has been able to pay himself since receiving the PPP loan as well as keeping his other 11 employees’ wages at the level they were at before the pandemic. This is an example of the power these SBA programs can have for small businesses in the community and the strength of organizations like the Small Business Development Center in helping turn seemingly dire circumstances into an environment for success.
