SBA Salutes Small Businesses that Drive America’s Economy

News Release
PRESS OFFICE / LOS ANGELES

Release Date: March 14, 2011
Contact: Dennis Byrne (202) 205-6567
Release Number: 11-18
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news Cecelia Taylor (202) 401-3059

SBA Salutes Small Businesses that Drive America’s Economy
At National Small Business Week May 18-20

Event Features Awards, Forums, and the Naming of National Small Business Person of the Year – Events Open To Public

WASHINGTON – The nation’s top entrepreneurs will be honored at the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week events May 18-20 in Washington, D.C. Under the theme, “Empowering Entrepreneurs,” a series of events and educational forums will mark the 58th anniversary of the agency and the 48th annual proclamation of National Small Business Week.

More than 100 outstanding small business owners from across the country will receive awards while gathering for three days at the city’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel. They will meet with top administration officials, congressional representatives and national business leaders. The highlight of the celebration will be the announcement of the National Small Business Person of the Year.

Men and women also will be recognized for their involvement in disaster recovery, government contracting, and their support for small businesses and entrepreneurship, and awards will be presented to SBA partners in financial and entrepreneurial development, including the year’s top SCORE Chapter, Small Business Development Center and Women’s Business Center.

Interested parties can register online at www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com where additional information is available. The event will also be webcast live at the web site.

“Small business owners and employees across America are proving their resiliency as they continue to drive the nation out of recession through economic growth and job creation,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “National Small Business Week gives us an opportunity to honor their achievements and the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and determination that makes them the engine of our economy and our nation’s economic recovery.”

The State Small Business award winners and recipients of the Champion and other Entrepreneurial awards are nominated by local trade associations, chambers of commerce and business organizations and government agencies.

S Small Business Week 2011 Tentative Schedule of Events

Wednesday, May 18
1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Registration Open
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Pre-Function Area

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Opening Reception
U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Reception Rooms
Sponsored by AT&T

Thursday, May 19
8:00 am – 5:00 pm Registration Open
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Pre-Function Area
Sponsored by Microsoft

8:00 am – 5:00 pm Cyber Café Open
Mandarin Oriental, Sackler Room
Sponsored by Google

8:30 am – 9:45 am National Awards Breakfast Honoring Procurement Award Winners
Mandarin Oriental, Grand Ballroom
Sponsored by Raytheon

10:00 am – 11:15 am Forum #1: Social Media
Mandarin Oriental, Oriental Ballroom
Sponsored by Intuit

11:30 am –12:45 pm Forum #2: Strategies for High Growth, High Impact Firms
Mandarin Oriental, Oriental Ballroom
Sponsored by Careerbuilder.com

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Phoenix Awards Luncheon
Mandarin Oriental, Grand Ballroom

2:30 pm – 5:00 pm Networking Time – Visit Sponsor Tables, SBA Officials
and the Cyber Cafe
Mandarin Oriental Exhibit Areas

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Congressional Reception
Location TBD

Friday, May 20
8:00 am – 2:00 pm Registration Open
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Pre-Function Area
Sponsored by Microsoft

8:00 am – 5:00 pm Cyber Café Open
Mandarin Oriental, Sackler Room
Sponsored by Google

8:30 am – 9:45 am Breakfast Honoring the Entrepreneurial Development
and Lender Award Winners
Mandarin Oriental, Grand Ballroom
Sponsored by Northrop Grumman

10:00 am – 12:00 pm Exporting Tools for Success
Mandarin Oriental, Oriental Ballroom

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm National Awards Luncheon Honoring State Small Business Winners
Mandarin Oriental, Grand Ballroom
Sponsored by Sam’s Club

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm Networking Time – Visit Sponsor Tables, SBA Officials
and the Cyber Café
Mandarin Oriental Exhibit Areas

7:30 pm – 11:00 pm Champion Award Winners Gala
Mandarin Oriental, Grand Ballroom
Sponsored by Visa

Media Contacts: Dennis Byrne Cecelia Taylor
dennis.byrne@sba.gov cecelia.taylor@sba.gov (202) 205-6567 (202) 401-3059
Small Business Week 2011 sponsors and cosponsors include: Association of Small Business Development Companies, AT&T, CareerBuilder, Dun & Bradstreet, Google, Intuit, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, National Association of Development Companies, National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, National Association for the Self-Employed, Nomadic Display, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Sam's Club, SCORE, Verio, Visa, and Women Impacting Public Policy.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s participation in this cosponsored activity does not constitute an express or implied endorsement of any cosponsor’s, donor’s, grantee’s, contractor’s or participant’s opinions, products, or services. All SBA programs and cosponsored programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least 2 weeks in advance, by contacting sbw@sba.gov. Cosponsorship Authorization #SBW2011.

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