Costa Mesa CEO Wins Award

Martha Daniel, founder and chief executive of Costa Mesa-based IMRI, a management consulting firm specializing in e-commerce and systems integration, has been named 1999 Minority Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Santa Ana District.

“It’s great to be recognized,” said Daniel, an African American MBA who has grown her 7-year-old company to sales of $10 million. “I want to be a role model to kids from diverse areas and backgrounds.”

Daniel, 47, has landed some pretty big clients, including IBM, Arco and International Paper.

“Martha has built her company up over the years through hard work and by surrounding herself with good people,” said Sandy Sutton, SBA Santa Ana district director.

IMRI’s 90 employees, for example, average 15 years of information technology experience.