NEWS RELEASE
PRESS OFFICE                         
                                                                  
Release Date:  June 7, 2012                Contact: Michele Arends
Release Number:  2093                             (605) 330-4243, ext. 11

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
SOUTH DAKOTA DISTRICT OFFICE ANNOUNCES
2012 SMALL BUSINESS WEEK WINNERS
Kevin & Emily Berg Named Small Business Persons of the Year

Sioux Falls – The South Dakota Small Business Administration District Office has named Kevin and Emily Berg, First Manufacturing, LLC, Humboldt, as the SBA South Dakota Small Business Persons of the Year for 2012.  They were nominated by Mark Slade, South Dakota Small Business Development Center, Sioux Falls.  The Berg’s award was presented in Sioux Falls at the SCORE/SBA Small Business Week Celebration on May 31, 2012.  In addition to honoring the Small Business Persons of the Year, SBA presented awards to:

 Jerad Higman, MASABA Mining Equipment, Vermillion, Small Business Exporter of the Year.
 John Roers,  Reliabank, Hartford, Financial Services Champion of the Year
 Rebekah Scott, Rebekah Scott Designs, Valley Springs, Home-Based Business Champion of the Year.
 Kareen Dougherty, South Dakota Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Sioux Falls, Minority Small Business Champion of the Year.
 Dr. Terese Michaels, Hartford Veterinary Clinic, Women in Business Champion of the Year.
        
SCORE also presented three awards naming Mark Norgaard, Volga, SCORE Member of the Year,  
Ryan Dulaney, Great Western Bank, Sioux Falls, SCORE Partner of the Year and U.S. Bank, National Association, SCORE Champion of the Year.

“All of these winners represent the best of South Dakota and we are proud to be recognizing their achievements,” said John L. Brown II, District Director of the South Dakota District Office.
  
 

For more information about all of the SBA’s programs for small businesses, visit the SBA’s extensive website at www.sba.gov.