SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration will recognize 10 Small Business and Champion award winners at the 14th annual Small Business Excellence Awards in Syracuse, on Friday, May 4 at 11:30 AM.
Nearly 300 people will attend the awards luncheon emceed by News Channel 9’s news anchor Dan Cummings and held at The DoubleTree Hotel. Four of this year’s 10 winners were also selected at the regional level, and will receive awards from Region II Administrator Jorge Silva-Puras (Region II includes NY, NJ, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
The SBA will celebrate National Small Business Week May 20-26, 2012. This year marks the agency’s 59th anniversary and the 49th annual proclamation of Small Business Week. Small business owners from across the country will be honored for their accomplishments nationally and locally during May.
Region II
Champions of Collaboration
Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Onondaga SBDC, Syracuse SCORE, WISE Women’s Business Center
Nominated by U.S. Small Business Administration Syracuse District
Region II
Minority Small Business Champion of the Year
El-Java Abdul-Qadir
South Side Innovation Center, Syracuse
Nominated by South Side Innovation Center
Region II
Home-Based Business Champion of the Year
Hilary Oak
St. Lawrence County Arts Council, Potsdam
Nominated by NYS Small Business Development Center-Canton
Region II
Women’s Business Center of Excellence
Women’s Business Center of New York State, Utica
Nominated by the Business Training Institute, Inc.
Syracuse District
Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year
Ward Halverson
CNY Vet Expo, Utica
Nominated by NYS Small Business Development Center-Mohawk Valley
Syracuse District
Small Business Person of the Year
Gilbert Kozer, president
Northeast Transformer Services, LLC, Cortland
Nominated by NYS Small Business Development Center-Binghamton
Syracuse District
Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year
Frederick (Rick) and Rebecca Wollin
Clinton Auto Service, Inc., Clinton
Nominated by NYS Small Business Development Center-Mohawk Valley
Syracuse District
Small Business Exporter of the Year
Randy Yerden, president
BioSpherix, Ltd., Lacona
Nominated by NYS Small Business Development Center-Oswego
Syracuse District
Financial Service Champion of the Year
Michael Benn
Benn & Company CPAs, PLLC, Cicero
Nominated by NYS Small Business Development Center-Onondaga
Syracuse District
Women in Business Champion of the Year
Lindsay Wickham
Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship, Syracuse
Nominated by WISE Women’s Business Center
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