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Sterling Heights manufacturer NTL Industries named 2025 National Small Business Person of the Year; council welcomes owners home
Summary
NTL Industries, a Sterling Heights precision manufacturer, was honored as the 2025 National Small Business Persons of the Year. The City Council recognized owners Greg and Shelly McArthur and thanked local resources — Velocity Collaboration Center and the SBA — for supporting their federal contracting and growth.
Sterling Heights City Council on May 6 recognized NTL Industries — a local precision manufacturing startup founded in 2017 — after the company won the U.S. Small Business Administration’s national Small Business Person of the Year award.
Greg and Shelly McArthur accepted the council’s recognition after returning from the national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. "It was kind of a blessing to disguise. So still kinda in awe," Greg McArthur told the council, describing the company’s trip to the competition. Owner Shelly McArthur and partner Greg explained they started in a two‑car garage and have expanded into a 13,200-square-foot facility, adding advanced five-axis machining to pursue defense, aerospace and precision component contracts.
La Lakita Henderson of the U.S. Small Business Administration told the council the award recognizes the McArthurs’ persistence and business story: "Each year, we … award that to NTL Industries because of their not only their story, but their perseverance. And once they receive the award from us, they then get to go compete nationally, which they did in Washington, D.C., against all other 50 states and our territories."
Why it mattered: Council members and the city manager framed the award as a return on the city’s investments in entrepreneurship supports such as the Velocity Collaboration Center and local accelerator programming. City Manager Mark Vanderpool thanked Velocity and the Sterling Heights Area Community Foundation for support. Council members encouraged the company to work with local apprenticeship programs such as Macomb Community College moving forward.
Council recognition: Council congratulated NTL during the city-manager report and invited the McArthurs to the dais for photos. There was no formal council vote; the session was an official public recognition and ceremonial acknowledgement of a national award won by a local business.
Outlook: NTL said it will continue pursuing federal contracting opportunities, including small‑business set‑asides aided by Apex and SBA programs, and plans further investments in technology and workforce training.
