SBA announces Small Business Award winners
HONOLULU — The U.S. Small Business Administration last week announced the Hawaii winners of prestigious SBA Small Business Awards for 2010.
Each year, SBA honors outstanding small business owners, entrepreneurs and advocates who demonstrate the qualities, skills and performance to place them as leaders in their industry.
Nominees for SBA Awards are evaluated on job creation, growth in annual revenue, innovation, staying power, response to adversity and contributions to their community.
Twenty-eight business owners, advocates and business leaders will be honored at the 23rd annual Statewide SBA Small Business Awards Luncheon on April 30 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Looking at the Maui honors, Brad Albert and Matias Besasso, co-owners of Rising Sun LLC, will be honored as Maui’s 2010 Small Business Person of the Year.
The Family Owned Small Business Award recognizes a small business with at least a 15-year history that has been owned and operated by the family, creating jobs, increasing revenues and providing opportunities for other family members. The Maui County winner is Bill and Maureen Marrs of Marmac Inc., better known as Ace Hardware in Kahului.
The Financial Services Champion Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to increasing access to capital, reducing regulatory burdens and helping small businesses improve their financial conditions through assistance, legislative support and other advocacy. The State of Hawaii winner is Leslie Mullens, president and chief strategist for Playbook Consulting Group in Kihei.
The 2010 Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Hawaii is Steven Baldridge, president of Baldridge and Associates Structural Engineering (BASE).
For more information on the SBA Awards, visit www.sba.gov/hi .