Outstanding U.S. Entrepreneurs and Small Business Supporters Honored at Tenth Annual SCORE Awards

Sen. John Boozman and Rep. Alma Adams to Receive Small Business Advocacy Awards

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Sep 06, 2018, 10:10 ET

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SCORE, mentors to America's small businesses, proudly announces the winners of the tenth annual SCORE Awards. Equal parts ceremony, celebration and entertainment, the SCORE Awards honor the achievements of outstanding U.S. entrepreneurs and small business owners. The Awards also recognize individuals and organizations who have demonstrated unique vision, innovation and achievement in support of the U.S. small business community, advancing its positive impact on the nation's economy. Winners will be honored at the SCORE Awards Gala on Sept. 13, 2018 near Washington, D.C.

Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) will receive the Senate Small Business Champion Award and Rep. Alma S. Adams (D-N.C.) will receive the House Small Business Champion Award. As SCORE's top small business awards, these are presented annually to members of Congress in recognition of outstanding advocacy and action on behalf of small businesses nationwide.

"This year's SCORE Awards are particularly special, as we have reached a milestone of 10 years of celebrating the American entrepreneurial spirit through this awards ceremony," said Resa Kierstein, Vice President of Development for SCORE. "Our winners come from all across the country, with diverse backgrounds and businesses in varied industries, but they share the courage and determination to make their dreams a reality. In addition to recognizing them, and our dedicated SCORE mentors, we also thank our partners, all of whom strengthen our efforts to educate and support American entrepreneurs."

Congratulations to the 2018 SCORE Award recipients, who were chosen based on their business success, positive community impact and strong relationship with their SCORE mentor. Learn more about each SCORE Award winner at: https://www.score.org/score-awards.

Outstanding American Manufacturing Small Business, presented by Sam's Club
Blue Ridge Bucha – Waynesboro, VA
Mentor: Steve Cooper

Outstanding Community Impact Business, presented by MassMutual
Corning Opera House – Corning, IA
Mentor: Sherry Bonelli

Outstanding Military-Owned Business, presented by Nav
Cowboy Cricket Farms – Bozeman, MT
Mentor: Rick Sanders

Outstanding Self-Employed Entrepreneur, presented by FranNet
CraniaLogix – Plano, TX
Mentors: Tim Carnell, Terry Toomey

Outstanding Women-Owned Business, presented by Kimco Realty
Creative Behavior Solutions – Largo, FL
Mentor: Mats Bengtson, Keith Knowles

Outstanding Agriculture Small Business, presented by The Panther Group
Drew's Honeybees – Norwich, CT
Mentors: Alan Mayer, John Oliva, Margo Weitekamp

Outstanding Diverse Business, presented by AT&T
Thompson Tee – Placentia, CA
Mentor: John Pietro, Larry Tucker

Outstanding Tech and Innovative Small Business, presented by FedEx
A Detroit School for Digital Technology – Detroit, MI
Mentors: David Broner, Dan Brophy, Kevin Kelley

Outstanding Young Entrepreneur, presented by Deluxe Corporation
Fyood Kitchen – Portland, ME
Mentors: Jewel Church, Nancy Strojny, Jamieson Webking

Outstanding Encore Entrepreneur, presented by Trend Micro
NAVA Consulting Group, LLC – Washington, DC
Mentors: Fred Elam, Karen Williams

Outstanding Retail Small Business, presented by Liberty Tax
Pip & Grow – Sarasota, FL
Mentor: Jon Stuart

The Lou Campanelli Award, which recognizes outstanding volunteerism on behalf of both SCORE and the national small business community, will be presented to small business thought leader Steve Strauss, the best-selling author of "The Small Business Bible" and a small business columnist for USA Today.

"Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 11 million entrepreneurs to start or grow their businesses," said SCORE CEO Ken Yancey. "These awards honor a few of the most outstanding among them, and recognize the SCORE mentors who have helped them along their journeys to success. We hope that sharing these powerful stories will inspire others to pursue their own entrepreneurial dreams, and to take full advantage of the valuable resources that SCORE provides."

Grand Champions of the American Small Business Championship Announced:

The SCORE Awards Gala will also feature a special announcement of the three Grand Champion winners of the 2018 American Small Business Championship, who will each be presented with a $15,000 grand prize. Made possible by a generous grant from Sam's Club, the championship brought together 102 of the best small business owners from across the U.S., and rewarded them with training and publicity to grow their businesses.

The SCORE Awards Gala is open to members of the press. To join us, please email [email protected].

About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 11 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE's 10,000 volunteer business experts provide 750,000+ free small business mentoring sessions, workshops and educational services to clients in 300 chapters nationwide. In 2017, SCORE volunteers helped to create 54,506 small businesses and 61,534 non-owner jobs.

For more information about starting or operating a small business, visit SCORE at www.score.org. Follow @SCOREMentors on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest small business news and updates.

Contact Information
Betsy Dougert
703-487-3677
[email protected]

SOURCE SCORE