DETROIT – The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced the recipients of its 2009 Michigan Small Business Persons of the Year and champion awards, which will be presented April 20 during the fifth annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards dinner in East Lansing.
Josh Linkner, ePrize founder and Chief Executive Officer, will be the keynote speaker at the premier event in Michigan to recognize the impact the importance of small business to the state’s economy.
“Michigan’s entrepreneurs and small businesses are critical to turning Michigan’s economy around,” said Richard Temkin, SBA Michigan District Director. “I am very proud that four of our Michigan Champions have gone on to win SBA’s Midwest regional awards. This is the first time that Michigan has had four Midwest winners, and all of them are strong contenders for national honors.”
D. Bruce DeBoer, James S. Rabourn, and Robert L. Emaus, Michigan’s Small Business Persons of the Year, are in contention for the national award, which will be announced during National Small Business Week, May 17-22. The award winners for Michigan are:
Michigan Small Business Persons of the Year
D. Bruce DeBoer, President & CEO,
James S. Rabourn, CFO & VP,
Robert L. Emaus, Executive VP,
R.E.D. Stamp, Inc., Byron Center
Michigan and Midwest Region Entrepreneurial Success Award
Avinash Rachmale, President and CEO,
Lakeshore Engineering Services, Inc., Detroit
Michigan and Midwest Region Jeffery Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year
Timothy S. Parker, President,
Harbor Industries, Inc., Grand Haven
Michigan and Midwest Region Small Business Exporter of the Year
George Boerigter, Chairman of the Board,
SoundOff Signal, Hudsonville
Michigan and Midwest Region Veteran Small Business Champion
Frank Campanaro, President & CEO,
Trillacorpe Construction, Bingham Farms
Michigan Financial Services Champion
Thomas Zernick, VP, Head of SBA Lending,
Citizens Bank, East Lansing
Michigan Home-Based Business Champion
Carrin Weirauch, Owner,
Down To Earth Toys, Ortonville
Michigan Minority Small Business Champion
James K. Ralph, Jr., President,
James Ralph Agency, Inc., Southfield
Michigan Small Business Counselor
Philip Tepley, Technology Team Coordinator,
Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, Grand Rapids
Small Business Journalist of the Year
Matthew Roush, Editor,
Great Lakes IT Report, Southfield
Women in Business Champion
Joan L. Purgiel, Vice President,
National City Bank, Manistee
For more information on this event, click on MichiganCelebrates.Biz
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