Hartford Business Journal

26 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MAY 4, 2026 Meet growing small businesses in CT E ach year, in honor of National Small Business Week, the Small Business Administration of Connecticut recognizes a handful of small companies throughout the state. These awards have been handed out every year since 1963, and the president of the United States issues a proclamation highlighting their contributions to signify the important role of America's entrepre- neurs and small business owners. This year, the Hartford Business Journal is highlighting the winners from 2026. In the pages that follow, you can read profiles about some of the recent SBA award winners, including what they do and how they've grown and dealt with the myriad challenges that come along with running a small business. The special section was done in part- nership with the SBA, and through the sponsorship of Torrington Savings Bank. Q&A talks with Derek Ezovski, president of ORMS. O RMS helps lenders and commercial real estate profes- sionals understand a property's environmental risks. When a business applies for a loan, lenders must be sure the property is free from any hidden environmental issues. ORMS handles those reviews, giving lenders the confidence to move forward without delays. What started as a one-person opera- tion has grown into a 25-member team serving clients nationwide. Today, ORMS is an outsourced environmental risk management provider, with a focus on SBA lending programs. How did you get into this business? I found my way into environmental risk management thanks to my godfather, Gary Ezovski. He introduced me to the field early on, and I spent my college internships working at his company — Lincoln Environmental — in Rhode Island. By the time I graduated from WPI with a degree in civil engineering, I already had a sense of how meaningful this work could be. My first jobs were with larger companies, where I often found myself helping non-technical coworkers make sense of environmental issues. Along the way, I went back to school and earned my MBA from UConn in 1999, which opened the door to roles at Fleet Bank and later at a data company in Connecticut. Those experiences made something and reliable. Being involved in a variety of industry organizations — not just environmental ones — keeps us connected to the challenges our clients face every day and inspires us to expand our services in ways that truly meet their needs. What's a major challenge your busi- ness has overcome in the past year? One of the biggest challenges we've faced over the past year has been keeping up with rapid growth while navigating the pressures in today's lending environment. Rising rates and tighter market conditions have made it more important than ever to integrate new technologies and bring on the right people who fit our culture. Thankfully, our team has been incredible — finding smarter, more efficient ways to serve our clients while keeping ORMS running smoothly and effectively. What major strategic plans do you have in the next few years? Over the next few years, ORMS plans to keep expanding our services so lenders and other commercial real estate professionals can get all their due diligence needs handled in one place. The due diligence process often involves juggling multiple vendors, but we manage it efficiently for our clients — helping them save both time and money while making the process much simpler. Category Winner SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Derek Ezovski President, ORMS (Outsourced Risk Management Solutions) very clear: lenders needed a dedicated resource to help them manage the environmental side of their work. That realization — and my long-standing desire to build something of my own — pushed me to launch ORMS. From there, the company grew nationally, fueled by our business model and the strong results we deliv- ered to our clients. How has your business grown in recent years? Over the past two years, especially after the interest rate hikes in 2023, ORMS has been growing at more than 40% a year. That growth really comes down to our talented team, the exper- tise we bring to our clients, and the way we make the experience smooth INDUSTRY: Environmental Consulting HEADQUARTERS: 7 South Main St., West Hartford WEBSITE: orms.com CONTACT: 860-838-5388 2026

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