SBA Looks for the Next NJ Small Business Person of the Year

On Dec 6, 2019

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is now accepting nominations for its next New Jersey Small Business Person of the Year Award, as well as nominations for all the agency’s 2020 National Small Business Week Awards.

“A National Small Business Week award is one of the nation’s highest honors for small business achievement,” SBA Acting Administrator Chris Pilkerton said.  “Please take a moment to visit sba.gov/nsbw to nominate a deserving small business owner in your area. I wish all of our nation’s small businesses the best of luck and look forward to their nomination.”

“Since 1963, National Small Business Week has recognized the outstanding achievements of America’s small businesses for their contributions to their local communities, and to our nation’s economy,” said SBA New Jersey District Director Al Titone.  “We are always looking for the best and brightest small business owners, who have utilized and benefited from SBA programs and services around New Jersey, to submit their Small Business Week 2020 award nominations to the SBA.”

The dedicated website https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week/national-small-business-week-awards has the necessary forms, criteria and guidelines for submitting a nomination package.

According to Titone, SBA Awards are given in celebration of National Small Business Week, May 3-9, 2020.  The winner selected for the New Jersey Small Business Person of the Year will be invited to Washington, D.C. that week where they will compete for the title of National Small Business Person of the Year.  In addition to the Small Business Person the Year, the SBA is also looking for award nominations in the following categories:

• Small Business Person of the Year
  • One from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.
• Exporter of the Year
• Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery
  • Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery
  • Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official
  • Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer
• Federal Procurement Awards
  • Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year
  • Small Business Subcontractor of the Year
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence (for large prime contractors who use small businesses as suppliers and contractors)
  • 8(a) Graduate of the Year
• Jody C. Raskind Lender of the Year
• Small Business Investment Company of the Year
• Awards to SBA Resource Partners
  • Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award
  • Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award
  • Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service Award

All nominations must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. EST, Tuesday, January 7, 2020.  All nomination packages may only be hand delivered or mailed to an SBA Office.  Email submissions of SBA Award forms will not be accepted as they contain personally identifiable information (PII).  Nominations may be mailed to the U.S. Small Business Administration, New Jersey District Office, 2 Gateway Center, Suite 1002-Newark, NJ 07102. Attn: Harry Menta.

Additional information on navigating the nomination process may be obtained by calling Harry Menta of the SBA’s New Jersey district office at 973-645-6064 or by emailing him at [email protected].

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