FAIRFAX, Va., April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Business Finance Group (BFG), a leading provider of SBA 504 loans in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, today announced that its client, Handcraft Cleaners and Launders, a family run, 54-year old business based in Richmond, Virginia, has won the 2011 Virginia Small Business Persons of the Year Award.

SBA provides this award to the nation's top entrepreneurs based on a variety of criteria, including staying power, sales increase, employee growth, financials, response to adversity, and innovation.  Sally Robertson, BFG President and CEO, said, "All of us at BFG are excited that our client has been awarded this prestigious honor, receiving recognition for their success and continued innovative approach.  Handcraft Cleaners and Launderers exemplify the small business community and cohesive family business success.  Their success is the direct result of hard work, ongoing investment and innovation."

Jay Nichols, of Handcraft Cleaners and Launderers, said, "Our success is due in no small part to our unique innovative approach, business model of shared responsibility and management, focused dedication to our clients and ties to the community we serve.  The SBA 504 financing and service we received from BFG helped us continue our growth and paved the way for expansion."

Handcraft constantly seeks groundbreaking ways to support clients and employees, including completing a major plant expansion, researching inventive plant design, installing state-of-the-art equipment to increase capacity to 60 million pounds of linens, and designing their building to be ergonomic, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly.

This cutting-edge thinking also resulted with them creating a new process and software tracking system, offering a 'cart exchange' procedure that allows them to be the linen management department for their clients, revolutionizing the way linen services are provided.  They specialize in providing top healthcare facilities reusable linen and uniform programs and services.

The 2011 SBA Small Business Person of the Year Award Ceremony takes place in Richmond, Virginia on June 17th.

SOURCE Business Finance Group