WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), senior member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced the selection of Advanced Ceramic Fibers in Idaho Falls as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for October 2020. Advanced Ceramic Fibers will be recognized for their contribution to the Idaho Falls community in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate.
Prior to founding Advanced Ceramic Fibers, Dr. John Garnier served as the Armor Program Lead for the National Homeland Security Directorate at the Idaho National Lab (INL) for six years. While working at INL, Dr. Garnier co-invented a process for converting carbon fibers into an alpha silicon carbide for military use and later discovered this process had numerous applications in the infrastructure, energy, and aerospace industries. Seeing its potential, Dr. Garnier teamed up with Ken Koller, Shawn Perkins, and David Harrell to commercialize the product and establish Advanced Ceramic Fibers.
With the help of the INL technology transfer program, the Idaho Small Business Development Center, and three years of self-funding, Advanced Ceramic Fibers expanded its operations, hired staff for research and development, and secured contracts with the Department of Energy, the U.S. Navy, and NASA.
“Since its founding, Advanced Ceramic Fibers has become a leading example of small business-driven innovation in Idaho.” Risch said. “With the slogan ‘Transforming the Reinforced Materials Marketplace,’ Advanced Ceramic Fibers continues to be a catalyst of innovation in the Gem State.”
“Congratulations to Dr. Garnier, Ken Koller, Shawn Perkins, David Harrell and all of the employees at Advanced Ceramic Fibers on being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for October 2020,” Risch continued. “You make our great state proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.”
Background: Idaho is consistently ranked one of the best places in the country to do business. Each month, Senator Risch selects an Idaho small business that exemplifies the Idaho values of hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, and exceptional commitment to community.
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