SBA SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR DALLAS/FORT WORTH DISTRICT SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AND CHAMPION AWARD WINNERS.
The U.S. Small Business Administration Dallas/Fort Worth District Office is seeking successful and inspiring entrepreneurs to represent the District during the 2013 National Small Business Awards event hosted by the SBA. Nominations are due by December 7, 2012.
“These awards provide an opportunity to celebrate the success of small business owners who start each day with creativity to overcome obstacles and challenges, and with perseverance to keep moving forward creating jobs for themselves and others while strengthening the economy of our nation,” said Herbert Austin, SBA District Director. Austin heads Dallas/Fort Worth Office which serves more than 660,000 entrepreneurs in seventy two counties in North East Texas.
The District Small Business Person of the Year will be selected based on staying power as evidenced by a minimum three years in business, growth in number of employees, increase in sales, innovativeness of product or service, response to adversity and contributions to community-oriented projects. The District award winner will compete for the State of Texas Small Business Person of the Year and the winner will go on to compete for National Small Business Person of the Year award. Any individual or organization dedicated to the support of the small business community in the United States, may submit nominations, including trade and professional associations and business organizations.
Nominations will also be accepted in the following categories:
- Small Business Exporter of the Year
- SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year
- Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year
- Entrepreneurial Success Award
- Financial Services Champion of the Year
- Home-Based Business Champion of the Year
- Minority Small Business Champion of the Year
- Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year
- Women in Business Champion of the Year
Nominees for these awards should fit the following categories:
Small Business Exporter of the Year: An individual who owns and operates a small business engaged in exporting.
SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year: To be considered a young entrepreneur, the individual must serve as a majority owner and operate or bear principal responsibility for operating a small business with a three year track record, and who will not have reached the age of 30 by June 1, 2013.
Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year: This award honors a family-owned and operated business which has been passed on from one generation to the next. The owner must also serve as a majority owner and operator or bear principal responsibility with at least a 15-year track record.
Entrepreneurial Success Award: Individuals must own and operate businesses initially launched as small according to SBA size standards and subsequently developed into large businesses; and they must have received SBA assistance to help the businesses grow.
The following Champion award nominees may or not be small business owners:
Financial Services Champion of the Year: An individual who assists small businesses through advocacy efforts to increase the usefulness and availability of accounting or financial services.
Home-Based Business Champion of the Year: An individual who has experienced the rewards and difficulties of owning a home-based business and has volunteered to improve the climate for these businesses may be nominated.
Minority Small Business Champion of the Year: An individual who has fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of small business opportunities for minority business owners.
Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year: An individual who has fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of small business opportunities for veterans of the U.S. armed forces may be nominated. Nominees may or may not be veterans.
Women in Business Champion of the Year: An individual who has fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of women’s business ownership may be nominated.
Nominations should be submitted to U.S Small Business Administration, 4300 Amon Carter Blvd, Suite 4300, Fort Worth, Texas 76155, Attn: Ahmad Goree.
For more information, contact Herbert Austin by telephone at 817-684-5502 or by email at herbert.austin@sba.gov.
