Small Business Association Now Accepting Small Business Week Award Nominations

The U.S. Small Business Administration, Santa Ana District Office is now accepting nominations for its 2015 Small Business Week Awards, including the annual Small Business Person of the Year award. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has been following the mantra - Smart, Bold and Accessible - in the way the agency conducts business. This is now the third year SBA has been using the online portal submission process, an improved dedicated web portal http://awards.sba.gov which provides all the guidelines and provides ease in submitting and tracking submissions of nominees for National Small Business Week. Since 1963, National Small Business Week has recognized the achievements of America's small businesses for their contributions to their local communities and to the national economy. In 50 years, SBA has honored the nation's 28 million small businesses. Awards given in celebration of National Small Business Week include the following, which may be submitted online or as a hard copy): * National Small Business Person of the Year (chosen from among state award winners from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam). * SBA 8(a) Graduate of the Year (for recent graduates of the SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program). * Exporter of the Year. * Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Award (nominations of SBA-funded SBDC Service Centers). * Women's Business Center (WBCs) of Excellence Award (nominations of SBA-funded WBCs). In addition, SBA's Santa Ana District Office will recognize winners in the following local categories, and submissions must be made as hard copies only: * Minority Small Business Champion of the Year. * Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year. * Family Owned Business of the Year. * Financial Services Champion of the Year. * Women in Business Champion of the Year. Nomination guidelines can be found on the awards website. Nominations for local Small Business Week Awards can be obtained by contacting Sylvia Gutierrez, Economic Development Specialist, at 714-560-7454 or sylvia.gutierrez@sba.gov.