Turned down by three banks for a business loan, Alpha Energy andElectric Inc., a Kansas City, Mo., firm that ultimately caught abreak with Mazuma Credit Union, is tasting sweet revenge thesedays.

For its outreach throughout the Midwest, Alpha Energy wasrecently awarded the Supplier of the Year honor in the annual salesbetween $1 million to $10 million category by the Mid-AmericaMinority Supplier Development Council.

In addition, Alpha Energy received the SBA's 2012 Minority Business of the Year award for the KansasCity district.

Alpha Energy offers a broad range of energy and electricalservices for commercial, retail, office, condominium and industrialconstruction for new and existing projects, according to the $475million Mazuma CU in Kansas City.

The firm is also considered a local leader in green energy forsome of its Midwest clients including the Sprint Center Arena inKansas City, Mo., Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Mo., theRobert Denney Federal Courthouse in Lincoln, Neb., and KansasCity's major league sports venues Kauffman Stadium and ArrowheadStadium, Mazuma said.

In the span of a few short years, Alpha Energy grew from a tinyoutfit operating in a two-room office into a company thatcontributes to the region's largest construction projects, said IkeNwabuonwu, the firm's chairman and CEO.

“When our growth spurt made day-to-day finances a little tougherto achieve, we counted on Mazuma Credit Union, and they were therefor us when typical banks ran the other way,” Nwabuonwu said.

“Without a partner like Mazuma, Alpha Energy and Electric wouldnot necessarily be receiving the accolades our small minoritybusiness enjoys, today. Frankly, our success is also Mazuma'ssuccess; we absolutely treasure our relationship,” he added.

Mazuma said it is a corporate sponsor of MSDC, the group thatawarded Alpha Energy the supplier of the year honor. Alpha Energypartnered with the credit union in 2009.

“After being declined by numerous area banks, Mazuma simply gave a valuable, talented community assetthe opportunity booster-shot to succeed. We are extremelyproud to be one of Alpha Energy's partners,” said MazumaPresident/CEO Brandon Michaels.

Lisa Snead, Mazuma's vice president of business partnerships,said it is incredibly gratifying to work with and witness a companylike Alpha Energy grow.

“All we did was add a little financial fertilizer and water thelawn,” Snead said. “Never mind the recession. It was the vision,commitment and caring of their fearless principles, chairman andCEO Ike Nwabuonwu and President Gabriel Okafor, which made AlphaEnergy reach this new plateau. The recognition of our city'sleaders and Alpha Energy's general success is nothing short ofinspirational.”