2013 Small Business Award Nominations Due Dec. 10

If you know of a successful family-based business, entrepreneur, or business champion on the Big Island, you now have until Dec. 10 to submit a nomination for the prestigious US SBA 2013 Small Business Awards.

Originally the deadline for nominations was tomorrow, but that date has been extended until December.

The Small Business Administration honors continue to be one of the most competitive, comprehensive and visible awards presented to small businesses in the state.

The 2013 SBA Small Business Award categories include:
• SBA’s Small Business Person of the Year
• Entrepreneurial Success Award
• Family-owned Business of the Year
• Small Business Exporter
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year
• Minority Small Business Champion Advocacy Award
• Women in Business Champion Advocacy Award
• Veteran Small Business Champion Advocacy Award
• Financial Services Champion Advocacy Award
• Home-based Business Champion Advocacy Award

Any individual or organization may submit a nomination for an SBA Small Business Award.

Last year, multiple Big Island residents won statewide SBA awards with Michael Tokunaga, of S. Tokunaga store, a fishing supply store in Hilo, winning the Small Business Person of the Year Award. Susumu Oshima of Oshima Brothers Store in Kainaliu won the family-owned Small Business Award.

Constance Cate, a CPA and private business owner, who also works for the East Hawaii Small Business Development Center Network, won the State of Hawaii Home-based Business Champion award. Vivian Landrum, president of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, won the Hawaii County Home-based Business Champion award.

Also, William “Bill” Dwyer, of Kona Mountain Coffee was named the 2012 Hawaii County Small Business Person of the Year.

Award winners will be announced in spring 2013 and awards presented at the Annual SBA Awards banquet normally held on Oahu.

The required nomination forms with detailed information for each of the 10 award categories can be downloaded from the web at the Hawaii Small Business Development Center Network site, http://www.hisbdc.com.

Completed forms should be submitted by Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 to the SBA District Office at 500 Ala Moana Boulevard, Suite 1-306. For more information, call SBA at 808-541-2990.