SBA Names Eastern Pennsylvania 2016 National Small Business Week Award Winners

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA – The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Eastern Pennsylvania District Office announces its 2016 Small Business Week Award Winners and will visit and recognize award winners during the week of May 1-7. SBA will also recognize winners during the annual “SBA Day at the Ballpark” networking luncheon event held June 8th, which is followed by a Phillies game at nearby Citizens Bank Park. Media are invited.

“As a regional and local recognition of the Presidentially-designated National Small Business Week award winners, this event recognizes the achievements of small business and its advocates in eastern Pennsylvania,” said SBA Eastern Pennsylvania District Director Antonio Leta. “Every year the award winners honored at this event have truly distinguished themselves and represent the very best that the eastern Pennsylvania small business community has to offer.”

The annual “SBA Day at the Ballpark” networking luncheon and awards ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. on June 8, 2015 with a luncheon at the “XFINITY Live! Philadelphia” restaurant at 1100 Pattison Ave. followed by a 1:05 p.m. Phillies game at nearby Citizens Bank Park.

Businesses being honored at the 2016 Eastern Pennsylvania Small Business Awards events:

- Eastern Pennsylvania District Small Business Person of the Year: Backyard Ale House, Scranton, Pa.; Patrick Nasser, Owner; William Nasser III, President; Eric Miller, Owner; Anthony  Potis, Owner; nominated by Gretchen Kukuchka and Leigh Magnotta, University of Scranton Small Business Development Center

- Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award: Bucknell University Small Business Development Center, Lewisburg, Pa.; nominated by Steven Stumbris, Director, Bucknell University SBDC

- Pennsylvania Small Business Exporter Of The Year Award: Colorfin, LLC, Kutztown, Pa.; Bernadette Ann Ward, President and Co-founder; nominated by Martin Brill, Program Manager, International Trade, Kutztown University SBDC

- Eastern Pennsylvania District Family-Owned Small Business of the Year Award: Buttonwood Campground, Mifflintown, Pa.; Dennis, Nancy, Ryan and Michael McFarland, Owners; nominated by Michael Ryan and Linda Feltman, Business Analysts, Penn State SBDC

- Eastern Pennsylvania District Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year: Exact Match Masonry Staining, Millerstown, Pa.; Jennifer Gill, President; nominated by Martin Brill, Program Manager, International Trade, Kutztown University SBDC

- Eastern Pennsylvania District Veteran-Owned Small Business Person of the Year: Gaver Industries, Inc. dba Barker and Barker Paving, Bethlehem, Pa.; John James McGeehan, President and Gavin McGeehan, CEO; nominated by Brett Smith, Robert Mineo, David Dunn, Consultants, Lehigh University SBDC

- Eastern Pennsylvania District Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: Magnum Group, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.; Vivian R. Isaak, President; nominated by Geri Swift, President, Women’s Business Development Center

- Eastern Pennsylvania District Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Pop! Promos, Philadelphia, Pa.; Sterling Wilson, President; nominated by Kelly Shermer, Director of Marketing, Pop! Promos

Every year since 1963 SBA takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from across the nation through National Small Business Week. This year’s National Small Business Week will be held from May 1-7, 2016. This year’s theme is “SBA: Dream Big, Start Small.”

SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet will start the week in Washington, D.C., where she will recognize and award outstanding small business owners from around the country. She will then continue the week with small business events in Atlanta, Denver, Phoenix, and finish up in California with visits to San Jose and Oakland. Additionally, recognition and educational events throughout SBA’s 10 Regions and 68 Districts will be held throughout the week. As events are finalized more details will be posted on www.sba.gov/NSBW.

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To request an interview or photographs, please contact Robert Goza, SBA’s Public Information Officer in the Philadelphia District Office, at 610-382-3084 or robert.goza@sba.gov.