SBA to Kick Off First Leg of National Small Business Week Events in Nation's Capital on May 1-2

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be the keynote speaker to kick off the first leg of the 2016 National Small Business Week events which will include award ceremonies and a panel discussion on cyber security in Washington, D.C. on May 1-2.  Small businesses, industry leaders and other award winners from around the country will converge on DC to receive awards in 17 different categories ranging from exporting, outreach, contracting, lending, disaster recovery to manufacturing and research and development. 

Last month, Contreras-Sweet announced the 54 Small Business Person of the Year state and territorial winners who will compete for the 2016 National Small Business Person of the Year.  The Small Business Person of the Year will be announced at the awards ceremony on May 2. 

The schedule for the DC Small Business Week Events is as follows:

Sunday, May 1
NSBW Kick-off at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Time: 7:30 pm-8:30 pm ET
SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet will provide the keynote address and there will be remarks from Chase for Business, the Presenting Cosponsor of National Business Week. The awards that will be presented include:

• Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award
• Women's Business Center of Excellence Award
• Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year
• SCORE Chapter of the Year
• Jody C. Raskind Lender of the Year
• Small Business Investment Company of the Year
• Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official
• Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer
• Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery

Due to space limitations this event is closed to the public but can be viewed live at www.sba.gov/nsbw and you can join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #DreamSmallBiz

Monday, May 2
Awards Ceremony at the United States Institute of Peace
Time: 8:30 am- 10:30 am ET
Administrator Contreras-Sweet will announce the National Small Business Person of the year at this event. Nominees from each state and territory will be present to see who will be crowned the next National Small Business Person of the Year. Other awards that will be presented include:

• Exporter of the Year
• Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year
• Small Business Subcontractor of the Year
• 8(a) Graduate of the Year
• Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence (for large prime contractors who use small businesses as suppliers and contractors)
  • Services winner
  • Manufacturing winner
  • Research and Development winner

Due to space limitations this event is closed to the public but can be viewed live at www.sba.gov/nsbw and you can join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #DreamSmallBiz

Cybersecurity Panel Discussion at the United States Institute of Peace
Time: 11:00 a.m.- Noon ET
Small businesses are becoming a larger target for criminals seeking to access sensitive data because attackers are well aware that small businesses have limited resources or personnel dedicated to information system security. In an effort to help keep your small business secure, tune in live as SBA Deputy Administrator Doug Kramer along with experts from Microsoft, ADP, and ESET discuss cybersecurity tips and trends.
Due to space limitations this event is closed to the public but can be viewed live at www.sba.gov/nsbw and you can join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #DreamSmallBiz

National Small Business Week is an annual event organized by SBA to recognize the achievements of the top small businesses in the nation. Since 1963, the president of the United States has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of National Small Business Week. This year National Small Business Week will be recognized from May 1-7 with national events planned in Washington, D.C., New York, Denver, Phoenix, Oakland and San Jose, Calif.  Events throughout the week will be live-streamed on SBA's website at www.sba.gov.  Make sure to check in during the event for live social media engagement, using the hashtag #DreamSmallBiz. For more information on the national events please visit: www.sba.gov/nsbw.

About the 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

Cosponsorship Authorization #SBW2016 SBA's participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any Cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA/SCORE programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.  Contact: [email protected]. SCORE is partially funded by SBA Cooperative Agreement No. SBAHQ-14-S-0001.

National Small Business Week 2016 sponsors include: Chase for Business, SCORE, ADP, Colonial Life, Intuit, Sam' s Club, Square, YP, ESET, Facebook, Instagram, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders (NAGGL) and VEDC

Contact:  Tiffani S. Clements, 202-401-0035
Release Number: 16-34
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news

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SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

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