Alabama SBA Recognizes Sean Chappell of Southern Sun Laundry as Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year

Foley, AL – March 2025 – The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Alabama District Office has named Sean Chappell, CEO of Southern Sun Laundry, as the Alabama Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year. This honor is part of the SBA’s annual celebration leading up to National Small Business Week, May 4-10, 2025.

Southern Sun Laundry, based in Foley, Alabama, provides essential commercial hospitality laundry services to hotels, restaurants, and condominiums across the Alabama Gulf Coast. Founded in 2010 by Army National Guard Veteran Sean Chappell, the business has exemplified resilience, adaptability, and significant growth despite major challenges.

Like many businesses, Southern Sun Laundry faced severe revenue slowdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic as the hospitality industry was impacted. Through the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Chappell was able to sustain operations. However, just as the business was recovering, a devastating fire in August 2021 destroyed their facility and equipment.

Demonstrating remarkable perseverance, Chappell leveraged resources from the Alabama Small Business Development Center’s (ASBDC) Capital Access Program (CAP) and utilized the SBA 504 loan program to rebuild and expand. The company grew from a 6,800 sq. ft. facility to a 23,000 sq. ft. operation, significantly increasing its production capacity. What once was a business processing 5 million pounds of laundry annually with no room to grow has now expanded to 18 million pounds of laundry, boosting its customer base, increasing annual revenues, and creating new job opportunities.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition from the SBA,” said Chappell. “The journey has not been easy, but with the support of our community, the SBA, and our dedicated team, we’ve turned challenges into opportunities for growth.”

Chappell’s recognition is part of a broader SBA effort to highlight outstanding small businesses across Alabama. Along with his award, other honors include the Alabama Rural-Owned Small Business of the Year and the Alabama Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year. These awards celebrate businesses for their growth, resilience, job creation, and contributions to their local communities.

The National Small Business Week will feature a national roadshow with SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, a two-day virtual summit, and various community events focused on key topics such as manufacturing, digital marketing, cybersecurity, and cryptocurrency.

For more information on National Small Business Week and the SBA’s programs, visit www.sba.gov or the Alabama Small Business Development Center at www.asbdc.org.