LANSING – Michigan Celebrates Small Business, the state’s premier awards event celebrating small business excellence, will recognize over 60 small businesses at the seventh annual awards dinner on April 28th in Lansing.
?Michigan?s economy is built on a strong foundation of innovation and hard working people. Michigan Celebrates Small Business seeks to acknowledge the best and brightest of small business leadership in Michigan. As a premier lender to Michigan small businesses, PNC recognizes the importance of small businesses and is committed to their success,? stated David Morrison, Southeast Michigan Business Banking Market Manger with PNC.
On April 28th, business owners, entrepreneurs, and supporters of small business from across the state will celebrate with the award recipients at the annual dinner and awards program. The event will include honoring of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of Michigan Small Business Awards, as well as a few other small business awards. The awards dinner will also feature the nationally recognized entrepreneur Richard Sheridan, CEO and founder of Menlo Innovations as the keynote.
?Michigan Celebrates Small Business fosters the entrepreneurial spirit in Michigan,? says Carol Lopucki ? State Director of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. ?The event is an opportunity to celebrate the success of small business in Michigan by highlighting over 60 small businesses that have significantly helped grow Michigan?s economy in 2010.?
About the Winners
Michigan 50 Companies to Watch
?Michigan 50 Companies to Watch? is an awards program sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation and presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business. Now 350 strong, the second-stage businesses that comprise the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch have not only persevered through challenging times, but also found opportunities to grow. The 2011 inductees are proof that entrepreneurs are, and always have been, the future of Michigan?s economy.
Companies nominated for the ?Michigan 50 Companies to Watch? list must be second-stage companies, defined as having 6 to 99 full-time-equivalent employees and generating $750,000 to $50 million in annual revenue or working capital from investors or grants. In addition, the companies must be privately held and headquartered in Michigan.
Winners were selected by judges from the banking, economic development, entrepreneurship development and venture capital communities. Judges evaluated the nominees? demonstrated intent and capacity to grow based on one or more of the following:
? Employee or sales growth.
? Exceptional entrepreneurial leadership.
? Sustainable competitive advantage.
? Other notable factors that showcase the company’s success.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) of Michigan Small Business Awards
?Michigan?s entrepreneurs and small businesses are becoming increasingly important contributors to our economy,? said Allen Cook, SBA Michigan Acting District Director. ?This is the seventh year in a row that we have had Michigan winners that have won SBA?s Midwest regional awards. I am very proud of our 2011 Michigan and Midwest Region award winners.?
Two of the Michigan award winners won SBA?s Midwest regional award. Michigan and Midwest Regional Small Business Exporter of the Year, Darryl J. Barlett, Vice President and General Manager of k-Space Associated, Inc. and the Michigan and Midwest Region Minority Small Business Champion, Cynthia A. Grubbs, Small Business Liaison with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
The other SBA award winners for Michigan are: Michigan Small Business Person of the Year:
Michael J. Uckele,CEO and President, Blissfield; Michigan Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year: Proos Manufacturing, Inc., Amy Engelsman, CEO, Grand Rapids; Veteran Small Business Champion: Matt Sherwood, Assistant Director, VetBizCentral Inc., Flint; Michigan Financial Services Champion: Jane Sherzer, President, Michigan Certified Development Corporation, East Lansing; Women in Business Champion: Michelle A. Richards, Executive Director, Center for Empowerment & Economic Development, Ann Arbor;
Small Business Journalist of the Year: Michael F. Carmichael, Online Editor & Contributing Writer, Corp! Magazine, Warren; Michigan Small Business Counselors of the Year: Lorne Greenwood, SCORE Counselor, SCORE Chapter 18, Detroit and Lola Are?, Center Director
Oakland County Business Center Michigan SBTDC, Waterford.
Michigan Celebrates Small Business Other Awards
Main Street USA Award: Biker Garage 101, Chad Faszczewski, Owner, Oscoda; Government Contracting Award: Rave Computer, Frederick (Rick) Darter, President / CEO, Ken Gorinski, Vice President and Dave Nannini, COO, Sterling Heights; Innovation Award: BioPhotonic Solutions, Inc., Marcos Dantus, President and CEO, East Lansing.
Media partners for Michigan Celebrates Small Business were MiBiz, Crain?s Detroit Business, Upper Peninsula Business Today, the Traverse City Business News, Michigan Radio, WCMU Radio, Mitechnews.com, WWJ Newsradio 950 and the Greater Lansing Business Monthly.
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