Sen. Ruderman Named ‘Small Business Person of the Year’

The United States Small Business Administration Hawai’i District Office named Senator Russell E. Ruderman as the State of Hawai’i Small Business Person of the year as the President and Founder of Island Naturals.

Island Naturals is a group of three natural and organic food stores throughout the Big Island, with locations in Hilo, Kona, and Pahoa. Senator Ruderman opened the stores, known for their commitment to quality and creativity, in 1997. A total of over 150 employees work at the three locations.

Senator Ruderman was honored with the award by colleagues on the Senate and House floor.

Founded in 1953, the U.S. Small Business Administration was created as a response to the pressures of the Great Depression and World War II. Since that time, the administration has provided small businesses with loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling sessions, and other forms of assistance.

In Hawai’i, the District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration is run under the leadership of District Director Jane A. Sawyer. In addition to oversight in Hawai’i, the District Office delivers programs to the Territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.