National
Small Business Person of the Year to be Named
WASHINGTON,
March 22 The U.S. Small Business Administration will honor America's top entrepreneurs
-- and name the National Small Business Person of the Year -- at
national ceremonies in Washington, D.C., during Small Business Week,
April 23-24. The two-day celebration will honor the small business accomplishments
of individuals and business owners at four major award events.
"The
SBA is proud to honor the entrepreneurial spirit of the men and women who have
played such a key role in the success of the economy and the prosperity of our
nation," SBA Administrator Steven Preston said. "I am proud to represent
an agency that touches so many people's lives, not only helping them realize their
dreams, but doing so in a way that provides jobs, expands our economy, and supports
innovation in our country."
The 2007 Small Business
Week will be at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center,
where more than 100 outstanding small business owners from across the nation will
be recognized. A highlight will be announcement of the National Small Business
Person of the Year and runners-up, selected from among state winners who
represent a diverse cross-section of American business, ranging from a sausage
maker and wine cafe, to a bee keeper and dog salon.
This
year the SBA will present awards to honor a number of individuals and organizations:
- The National Small Business Person of the Year, selected from
the 53 State Small Business Persons for the Year.
- The Champion
Awards, recognizing both individuals and organizations for their achievements
on behalf of small business, including minority, women and veteran-owned small
businesses.
- The Phoenix Awards, recognizing a public official,
a business owner and a volunteer whose efforts have enabled their businesses or
communities to successfully recover from a disaster.
- Export Lenders
of the Year, honoring financial institutions for financing small business
exporters.
- The Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence,
recognizing large prime contractors that have excelled in their utilization of
small businesses as suppliers and subcontractors.
- The Gold Star
Award, recognizing exemplary performance of federal staff who manage the
aggressive goals and strategic initiatives that help ensure a role for small business
in the federal marketplace.
- The Frances Perkins Vanguard Award,
honoring government and industry for excellence in the use of women-owned small
businesses as prime contractors and subcontractors.
- The Small
Business Prime Contractor and Small Business Subcontractor of the Year,
honoring small businesses that have provided government and industry with outstanding
goods and services as prime or sub contractors.
Every
president for 44 years has issued an annual proclamation celebrating Small
Business Week. State award winners and recipients of the Champion and
other special awards are nominated by local trade associations, chambers of commerce
and business organizations. During Small Business Week, award winners
will meet with top administration officials, members of Congress and leaders of
national business organizations.
This annual celebration
honoring the nation's leading small business entrepreneurs is cosponsored by SCORE,
"Counselors to America's Small Business." For more information on Small
Business Week 2007 events, including award winner bios, visit http://www.sba.gov/sbw.
Media outlets interested in covering Small Business
Week award events may pre-register online at https://www.epsilonregistration.com/er/Registration/SBA07Entry.jsp.
Interviews with SBA spokespersons and award winners can be scheduled prior to
Small Business Week.
Schedule
of Events -- Small Business Week 2007
(Please Note: Press seating
is limited at all events and the events schedule is subject to change. Award winners
and their guests only are invited to participate.)
Monday,
April 23, 2007
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. National Procurement Awards
Luncheon Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, Atrium Hall
5:30
p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Champions and Lenders Awards Reception U.S. Department of State,
Diplomatic Reception Room
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Phoenix Awards-Disaster Recovery Award Winners Ronald
Reagan International Trade Center, Atrium Hall
12:00 p.m.
- 2:00 p.m. State Small Business Awards Luncheon-National Small Business Person
of the Year, Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, Atrium Hall
Media
Contacts:
Dennis Byrne
dennis.byrne@sba.gov
Ph: (202) 205-6567
Cecelia Taylor
cecelia.taylor@sba.gov
Ph: (202) 401-3059
(No filing facilities
on site for the press. Coordinate with local bureaus.)
Small
Business Week 2007 is co sponsored by the following organizations: SCORE, Sam's
Club, BAE Systems, IBM, and Raytheon.
The
U.S. Small Business Administration's participation in this cosponsored activity
does not constitute an express or implied endorsement of any cosponsor's, donor's,
grantee's, contractor's or participant's opinions, products, or services. All
SBA programs and cosponsored programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory
basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if
requested at least 2 weeks in advance, by contacting sbw@sba.gov.
Cosponsorship Authorization # 2007.
