Texas Border Business
HARLINGEN, Texas – The SBA’s Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office recently announced Tommy Graham’s Paint and Body has been named an SBA Legacy Business. Tommy Graham’s Paint and Body is one of 68 Legacy Businesses that got their start with the SBA’s help and are being recognized nationwide as part of the agency’s 70th-anniversary celebrations.
The announcement follows SBA Administrator Guzman’s recent visit to the New York Stock Exchange, where she rang the closing bell to mark the SBA’s milestone anniversary and celebrate Legacy Businesses that have grown from small startups into some of the most recognizable brands in the United States with the support of the SBA.
“The Legacy Businesses represent the rich history and traditions that have shaped communities across the South-Central region. I am honored to recognize their resilience and dedication to success as SBA celebrates 70 years of small business support,” said SBA Regional Administrator Ted James.
“Over the years, the SBA has tirelessly worked to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship, encourage innovation, and provide invaluable support to the dreams and aspirations of countless individuals who dared to embark on the journey of starting and growing their small businesses,” Angela Burton, district director, stated. “Recognizing the SBA’s Lower Rio Grande Valley District’s Legacy Small Business is a great honor.”
Tommy Graham’s Paint and Body business was founded in 1978 by the late Thomas Graham with the assistance of an SBA 7(a) guaranteed loan. As the business grew, he expanded and moved from a rented location to their current location, purchased in 1986.
Mark Magouirk began working for Mr. Graham when he was 14 years old, and when Mr. Graham and his wife could no longer manage the business, he stepped up and started running and managing the business.
Mr. Magouirk met with a Small Business Development Center business advisor at the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce in 2007 and received assistance with a business plan and technical assistance.
Sadly, Mr. Graham passed in 2010, and Mr. Magouirk purchased the business shortly after, leaving the business name in his honor.
Nothing changed other than the change in ownership. Tommy Graham’s Paint and Body has received numerous awards and recognitions and is a staple in the City of Harlingen.
During the COVID pandemic, Mark Magouirk kept his team employed with assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program.
“It’s such an honor to have been recognized as an SBA Legacy Small Business,” Magouirk said. “Our Legacy may be a reflection of our past works and struggles, but the true value is when those works make a positive impact on someone’s future.”
