Bank of Guam congratulates Jessica Leon Guerrero, president, M80 Systems Inc. on being awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 Guam Small Business Person of the Year. Pictured, from left, Maria Eugenia H. Leon Guerrero, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Bank of Guam; Joaquin P. L.G. Cook, president and chief executive officer, Bank of Guam; Jessica Leon Guerrero, president and owner, M80 Systems Inc.; Carlo Leon Guerrero, vice president and general manager, M80 Systems Inc.; Elmy Bermejo, regional administrator, U.S. SBA; and Kenneth Q. Lujan, branch manager.
Bank of Guam congratulates Sara Pleadwell Doctor and Monique Genereux Amani, owners of MoSa’s Joint, on being awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 Veteran Small Business Champion of Year. Pictured, from left, Joaquin P. L.G. Cook, president and chief executive officer, Bank of Guam; Maria Eugenia H. Leon Guerrero, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Bank of Guam; Monique Genereux Amani, co-owner, MoSa’s Joint, Amarii Amani; Sara Pleadwell Doctor, co-owner, MoSa’s Joint; Kenneth Q. Lujan, branch manager, Guam Branch Office, U.S. SBA; and Elmy Bermejo, regional administrator, U.S. SBA.
HAGÅTÑA, Guam (BoG) — Jessica Leon Guerrero, president, M80 Systems Inc., was awarded the 2024 Guam Small Business Person of the Year. Sara Pleadwell Doctor and Monique Genereux Amani, owners of MoSa’s Joint, were awarded the 2024 Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year for Guam.
In December 2023, Bank of Guam submitted nominations for Leon Guerrero and Doctor and Amani for the U.S. SBA awards. To celebrate their recognition and remarkable achievement, Bank of Guam hosted a celebration mixer on July 17 at the M80 offices.
During the celebration, SBA Guam Branch Manager Kenneth Lujan and SBA Regional Administrator Elmy Bermejo, presented the awards to this year’s honorees. Bermejo oversees SBA programs, offices, and operations in the SBA’s Pacific region, serving Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, and Nevada. This marks the first time a regional administrator has presented awards to Guam winners.
“Having known and worked with Jessica over the years, we’ve witnessed firsthand her incredible journey both as a business leader and community partner. Her entrepreneurial spirit, inspired by her family’s legacy in business, has been the driving force behind her successful leadership at M80. What truly sets Jessica apart is her ability to recognize and pursue opportunities that are not just good for business but also make an impact in our community. Congratulations Jessica on this well-deserved recognition!” said Joaquin P.L.G. Cook, president and chief executive officer, Bank of Guam and the U.S. SBA-2020 Financial Services Champion of the Year.
Leon Guerrero exemplifies entrepreneurship and community dedication through her role as a business leader, wife and mother of five. Leading her woman-owned, HUB Zone Certified Small Business with M80, Leon Guerrero passionately transforms visions into reality, as a leading solutions provider in the region.
Beyond business, she’s deeply involved in community service, holding positions as treasurer of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, advisory board member of the American Cancer Society Guam Chapter, and chairwoman of the Guam Children’s Museum board. Leon Guerrero was also recognized with the Reina A. Leddy Guam Young Professional of the Year in 2019 and was nominated for Guam’s Businesswoman of the Year. She is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Entrepreneurship Program.
“From their humble beginnings as a mobile cantina to becoming one of our favorite restaurants in Hagåtña, Sara and Monique’s journey with MoSa’s Joint has been nothing short of inspiring — showing how the love of good food can ignite a passion of community, kindness and success. Their ability to adapt and forward-thinking approach, even in our most challenging of times, is what makes Sara, Monique and MoSa’s Joint worthy of this award. We’re proud to know them as friends and partners, and as a community, have been fortunate to witness their generosity, integrity and dedication to kindness over the years. Congratulations Sara and Monique for this recognition and being an inspiration to all veteran entrepreneurs!” said Maria Eugenia Leon Guerrero, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Bank of Guam.
Doctor and Amani, the dynamic duo behind MoSa’s Joint, are a whirlwind of local passion and culinary experience. Doctor, with a seasoned background in her father’s restaurant, Jeff Pirate’s Cove, and an ex-scuba diver, found her true calling in a kitchen of her own. Amani, with eight years in the Coast Guard and a culinary arts degree from Guam Community College, teamed up with Doctor to embark on the journey of entrepreneurship.
In 2011, they started with a small cantina and then a brick-and-mortar establishment in 2013. By 2015, their growing reputation led them to a large, more vibrant location in Hagåtña. MoSa’s Joint is more than a restaurant but a celebration of their shared history, love for the ocean, and island culture.
Beyond the business, MoSa’s Joint actively contributes to their community and charitable causes including sponsoring a women’s amateur soccer league and men’s futsal league teams, local jiujitsu tournaments, and organizing fundraising activities for local non-profits such as Harvest House.
About the US Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov/.
