SBA Administrator Announces National Small Business Week Awardees

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Administrator Linda McMahon, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, today announced the 2017 National Small Business Week awardees for 16 different categories ranging from exporting, outreach, contracting, lending, disaster recovery to manufacturing and research and development. 

Last week McMahon announced the 54 Small Business Person of the Year state and territorial winners. These recipients are now competing for the 2017 National Small Business Person of the Year.  All awardees have been invited to Washington, D.C. to participate in events and ceremonies on April 30-May 1.  

"More than half of all Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of three net new jobs in the U.S. each year. I couldn't be prouder of all the awardees this year – they are working to grow small businesses, create 21^st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America's global competitiveness. It is an honor during National Small Business Week to honor and celebrate their hard work and success," McMahon said.

Awards announced today:

• Exporter of the Year
• Jody C. Raskind Mission Lender of the Year
• Small Business Investment Company of the Year
• SCORE Chapter of the Year
  
  
• Awards to SBA Resource Partners:
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Award
  • Women's Business Center of Excellence Award
  • Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service Award
    
    
• Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery:
  • Outstanding Small Business Disaster Recovery
  • Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official
  • Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer
    
    
• Federal Procurement Awards:
  • Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year
  • Small Business Subcontractor of the Year
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence (for large prime contractors who use small businesses as suppliers and contractors in Services, R&D and Manufacturing)
  • 8(a) Graduate of the Year

Each year since 1963, the president has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of National Small Business Week.  National Small Business Week is set as the first week in May, and this year the dates are April 30 – May 6 with national events planned in Washington, D.C., New York City, Indianapolis, Dallas and Fresno, Calif.

Awardees

National Exporter of the Year

Abram's Bed LLC
Dba The Safety Sleeper
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Rose Morris                            
President

Small Business Development Center – Excellence and Innovation Award

SBDC at Hamilton Mill
Hamilton, Ohio

Mr. David Riggs
Director

Women's Business Center of Excellence

Mi Casa Women's Business Center
Denver, Colorado

Elena Vasconez
Director

SCORE – Chapter of the Year

SCORE Boston – Chapter #20
Boston, Massachusetts

Laura Colcord
Co-Chair

Howard Fine
Past Co-Chair

Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service

VetBiz Central
Flint, Michigan

Matt Sherwood
Executive Director

8(a) Graduate of the Year

Healthcare Management Solutions LLC
Fairmont, West Virginia

Leah Joan Heimbach
President

Jody C. Raskind Mission Lender of the Year

Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Wendy Katherine Baumann
President/Chief Visionary Officer

Small Business Investment Company (SBIC)

Deerpath Capital Management, LP
New York City

James H. Kirby
CEO & Director

Phoenix Awards:

Outstanding Small Business Disaster Recovery

Ember Industries, Inc.
Austin, Texas

Rob Leonardis
President

Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery by a Volunteer

Susan Jack
Clendenin, West Virginia

Outstanding Contributions To Disaster Recovery by a Volunteer (two winners)

Carol Huchingson
Director of Social Services
Lakeport, California

Stephen K. Benjamin
Mayor, City of Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina

Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year

QMF Steel, Inc.
Campbell, Texas

Sherrill Lester
President

Small Business Subcontractor of the Year

IO Environmental and Infrastructure, Inc.
San Diego, California

Michael Bilodeau
Owner/CEO

Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards

Services:

Jacobs Engineering, Inc.
Huntsville, Alabama

Randy Lycans
Jacobs Vice President & ESSSA Group GM

Research and Development:

Wyle Laboratories, Inc.
Houston, Texas

Helen Lawley
Small Business Liaison Officer

Manufacturing:

Lockheed Martin Corp.
Bethesda, Maryland

Susannah Raheb
Corporate Supply Diversity Leader

For more information about National Small Business Week visit: www.sba.gov/nsbw

ABOUT THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.  The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses.  Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. www.sba.gov

Contact: Terry Sutherland 202-205-6919
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
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Release Number: 17-13

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

Related Links

http://www.sba.gov