Small Business Association: Now accepting 2018 national Small Business Week Awards nominations in Wisconsin

Contact: Shirah Apple
Rachel.apple@sba.gov
414-841-7013

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Wisconsin office is now accepting nominations in 18 categories for its 2018 National Small Business Week Awards, including the annual Small Business Person of the Year. Since 1963, National Small Business Week has recognized the outstanding achievements of America’s small businesses for their contributions to their local communities, and to our nation’s economy.

SBA Awards given in celebration of National Small Business Week, April 29 – May 5, 2018, include the following with recognition possible at the state, regional and national levels:

Small Business Person of the Year
One from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.
Small Business Exporter of the Year
8(a) Graduate of the Year
Jody C. Raskind Lender of the Year
Awards to SBA Resource Partners
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award
Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award

Awards eligible for state recognition:

SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Owner will not reach 30th birthday by June 1, 2018, three-year evidence of success in sales and profits, increased jobs, innovative products, demonstrated potential.

Entrepreneurial Success: Business that started ‘small’ by SBA standards, then developed into a large business. Business must have received SBA assistance.

Jeffrey Butland Family-owned Small Business – A family owned business that has passed from one generation to another and owner has responsibility for operating the business with at least a 15 year track record

Emerging Small Business Person For developing an outstanding business with at least a three year track record, under 25 employees, under $2.5 million in sales and less than 10 years in business

Small Business Champions of the Year: Those who promote small business, including volunteering time and services to small business interests and groups, advocating the cause of small business in the legislative process. Champions may or may not be small business owners.

· SCORE Mentor of the Year

· Women in Business Champion

· Minority Small Business Champion

· Veteran Small Business Champion

· Financial Services Champion

· Small Business Legal Assistance

· Home Based Business Champion

SBA Wisconsin will hold a dial-in information session on awards nominations on Thursday, November 16 at 11 am. Call in number is 888-858-2144 and attendee pin is 1577374#. No registration is required.

Start the nomination process (self-nominations are permitted) and get more information here, or contact Mary Trimmier, Lead Economic Development Specialist at mary.trimmier@sba.gov or 414-297-1093.

All final awards packages must be hand delivered or mailed to the SBA Wisconsin offices in Milwaukee or Madison by Tuesday, January 9 at 2 pm Central Time. Email submissions of SBA Awards forms will not be accepted as they contain personally identifiable information (PII).

The dedicated website www.sba.gov/nsbw/awards provides more information for submitting a national awards nomination. Visit this link or www.sba.gov/wi for criteria and directions for submitting all awards.

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