News Release

PRESS OFFICE

San Diego SBA Announces Local Small Business Week Award Recipients

San Diego, CA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will publicly honor local small business owners and advocates on May 28, 2008, at the annual Small Business Awards Luncheon to be held at the Town and Country Resort & Convention Center in Mission Valley San Diego. SBA Administrator Steve Preston will keynote this event. SBA is partnering the ceremony with San Diego's Regional Chamber of Commerce. Over 1,000 are expected to attend.

SBA will honor America’s top entrepreneurs – and name the National Small Business Person of the Year – at national ceremonies in Washington, D.C. and New York, NY, during Small Business Week, April 21-25.  The celebrations will honor the small business accomplishments of individuals and business owners at six major award events.

“As America celebrates 55 years of SBA’s existence, this is an excellent opportunity to honor the small businesses that have helped make our nation great,” says SBA San Diego District Director Ruben Garcia. “SBA has helped well over 20 million Americans start, grow and expand their businesses, placing tens of billions of dollars in loans into the hands of entrepreneurs in all sectors of the economy.  Small business ownership continues to be the enduring symbol of the American Dream.” 

Business organizations, chambers of commerce and trade associations typically nominate candidates in the fall.  A panel is convened at the San Diego district office in December to review local nominations and select a winner in each of the several categories.  District office nominees are sent to SBA’s regional office in Los Angeles for judging in February, and the regional office then submits nominations for national consideration.  The regional office covers California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Guam. 

 2008 SBA Awards

SBA will present awards to the following San Diego area business owners and champions:

Small Business Person of the Year

• Gregory Kent, Bio Clean Environmental Services
• Nominated by: Sudershan Shaunak, Mira Costa College - North San Diego SBDC

Entrepreneurial Success Award (also Regional Winner)

• Hany M. Girgis, SGIS
• Nominated by: Caryn Badea, SGIS

Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year

• Claudia P. Klaus, Pacific Advisors
• Nominated by: Michelle Butler, Women’s Business Center of California

Women-Owned Small Business of the Year

• Christine Tempesta, Kiddie Corp, Inc.
• Nominated by: Jeni Burgess, Wells Fargo & Company

Financial Services Champion of the Year

• Paul Polowski, Neighborhood National Bank
• Nominated by: Ken Clark, Southwestern College Small Business Development and International Trade Center (SBDITC)

Minority Small Business Champion of the Year

• Gustavo Bidart, Citi Bank
• Nominated by: Sudershan Shaunak and Joe Molina,
  Mira Costa College - North San Diego SBDC

 Home-Based Business Champion of the Year

• Cynthia K. Nagura, Southwestern College Family Resource Center
• Nominated by: Victor Castillo, Southwestern College - SBDITC

 Small Business Journalist of the Year

• George E. Chamberlin, San Diego Daily Transcript
• Nominated by: SCORE San Diego-Chapter 140

 Delores Braswell Award: Advocating Woman in Business

• Barbara L. Sedgwick-Billimoria, Southwestern College – SBDITC
• Nominated by: Ken Clark, Southwestern College - SBDITC

2008 George P. Chandler, Jr. Award and SBA Lender Awards:

• To be announced at the luncheon

Additional Awards at the Small Business Awards Luncheon

The following additional awards will be presented at the May 28 small business week event, and added information on these winners will be provided when available:

 ·       The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce will recognize 10 outstanding San Diego area businesses.

·       The San Diego Business Improvement District (BID) Council will recognize its BID Business of the Year, selected from this year’s winners from each of San Diego’s 18 BID’s.

·        San Diego area government procuring agencies will recognize their Contractors of the Year.

·       San Diego area large prime contractors will recognize their small business Subcontractors of the Year.

 Small Business Week Awards Luncheon Seats Now Available

Luncheon seats are available.  For tickets and to register for the event, please contact the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce at (619) 544-1370.  You may also register online at: www.sdchamber.org.

 Media Invited to Small Business Awards Luncheon

Media attendance is encouraged. Please contact SBA’s Cynthia Harris at (619) 727-4884.

Note: Lunch is complimentary for members of the press.

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NOTE: More detailed descriptions of each small business winner are available.  Please call Cynthia Harris, SBA, at (619) 727-4884 or email your request to cynthia.harris@sba.gov.   For more information on Small Business Week 2008 Washington, D.C. and New York events, including award winner bios, visit http://www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com/.