The Lexington Forum recognized Kentucky Small Business Development Center senior consultant Fausto Sarmiento with the 2014 One to Watch Award at the annual Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s State of the Merged Government Address and luncheon held at the Hyatt Regency Lexington recently.

The One to Watch Award is presented each year to a business leader or expert who embraces and exhibits genuine community spirit. This is the third year the Lexington Forum has presented the award.

Bob Owen, a Lexington Forum board member, introduced Sarmiento by saying, “Fausto Sarmiento embodies two words that describe a very vital segment of our culture and workforce in Lexington.  He is young, and he is a professional, and he uses his education and background to expand opportunities for young professionals, providing advice and encouragement to help others achieve.”

Sarmiento is the senior management consultant with KSBDC’s Bluegrass office in downtown Lexington where he specializes in performance management, sales and negotiations for new entrepreneurs and established small-business owners.

“There are so many talented people in Lexington who are doing great things for our community. The Lexington Forum consists of a great variety of different people: conservatives and liberals, young professionals and seasoned executives. It is a true honor to know they were all able to agree on selecting me as this year's winner of the One to Watch Award,” Sarmiento said.

In 2014, Sarmiento was inducted into the KSBDC Million Dollar Loan Club having secured over a million dollars in funding for clients. Additionally, he served as the president of the Lexington Young Professionals and was active in planning the Emerge conference held in Lexington, the Young Professionals Unite Summit held in Louisville and the Young Professionals Day held at the Capitol in Frankfort.

Sarmiento also works closely with University of Kentucky students, helping them to transition into the career world with far fewer stresses.

“Fausto sincerely wants young professionals to succeed in their careers and communities and strives to help them achieve their full potential," said Becky Naugle, KSBDC director.

One such professional who benefitted from Sarmiento’s consult was Tommy Ray Cornett of Bleed Blue Tattooing. Cornett was selected as the 2014 Kentucky Small Business Person of the Year.

“I’m passionate about helping young professionals. Their success is my greatest reward,” Sarmiento said.

The Kentucky Small Business Development Center, part of the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, is a network of 15 offices located throughout the state that helps existing and start-up businesses succeed by offering high quality, in-depth and hands-on services. The KSBDC is a partner program with the U.S. Small Business Administration. For more information on KSBDC services, visit their website, http://www.ksbdc.org/.