Michigan Small Business Leaders to Receive SBA Regional Honors

DETROIT, May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SBA Regional Administrator Marianne Markowitz will visit the state's top small business leaders and recognize them with the 2012 Region V Small Business Awards. The Awards acknowledge these individuals on their outstanding achievements on behalf of small businesses in Michigan and through the SBA's Region V geographic area (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin).

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"Our four regional winners from Michigan represent the best in their field.  Their tireless commitment to making a difference in their communities is why we have selected them as the SBA's Midwest Regional winners.  I look forward to meeting the business owners and champions and on behalf of the Obama Administration, to acknowledge their incredible accomplishments," said SBA Regional Administrator Marianne Markowitz. "This Administration continues to support small businesses with legislation like the Small Business Jobs Act which is giving small businesses the tools they need to be successful, create jobs, and drive our economy forward."

These outstanding Michigan winners include the following:

Entrepreneurial Success Award Winner—William Deary, CEO of Great Lakes Caring, is CEO and President one of the Midwest's most respect and largest providers of continuum of health care in the home environment.  Deary and his wife started the company in 1994.  They received an SBA guaranteed loan in 1995 and an SBA 504 loan in 2004, both of which have been paid in full.  They recently announced the addition of 300 new positions.   

Exporter of the Year— B&B Process Equipment and Systems LLC  has been in operation for 119 years and has shown consistent performance with export sales. Eighty percent of the company's sales increases over the last two years are also from export sales.  CEO Laurence Slovin is committed to the Saginaw market and his company is a major employer in an economically depressed area.  They also use local suppliers which affects hundreds of people in the region.

Veteran Champion of the Year— Keith King, Keith King & Associates leads an award winning advertising and public relations firm.  King, a Vietnam veteran, is a founder of the Michigan Council of the Vietnam Veterans of America and national public affairs chairman of the Vietnam Veterans of America.  His testimony before the Michigan House and Senate committee hearing in support of little known preference given to disabled veterans resulted in the passage of PA 90 and 91, which established a three percent goal for awarding state contracts to Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses and created a Michigan SDVOB roundtable to advise the Legislature on the progress of the program.  King is also this year's National Veterans Champion Award Winner. He will receive national recognition at this year's National Small Business Week (May 20-24, 2012) during an award ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Financial Services Champion of the Year— David Adams, President and CEO of the Michigan Credit Union League & Associates directs a large trade association that serves more than 320 credit unions in Michigan.  His innovation and leadership has led to double digit growth in small business lending among Michigan credit unions. Adams is an important advocate for increasing access to capital for small businesses through his lobbying efforts in both Lansing and Washington, D.C.  Working closely with Congressman Gary Peters, Adams played an instrumental role in lobbying for the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.  As a result, Michigan credit union business loans have far outpaced business loan activity as compared to national credit union statistics. Adams is also this year's National Financial Services Champion Award Winner. He will receive national recognition at this year's National Small Business Week (May 20-24, 2012) during an award ceremony in Washington, D.C.

WHO:           SBA Regional Administrator, Marianne Markowitz

WHEN:         Monday, May 14
                     10:00 AM—Veteran Small Business Champion Award Presentation 
                     Keith King, Keith King & Associates
                     ADDRESS:  SBA District Office, 477 Michigan Ave., Room 515, Detroit, MI    
                     48226  (McNamara Federal Building)

                     12:30 PM—Entrepreneurial Success Award Presentation
                     William Deary, Great Lakes Caring
                     ADDRESS:  900 Cooper Street, Jackson, MI  49202

                     Tuesday, May 15
                     9:00 AM—Financial Services Award Presentation
                     David Adams, Michigan Credit Union League & Affiliates 
                     ADDRESS: Michigan Credit Union League, 38695 W. Seven Mile Road, 
                     Suite 200, Livonia, MI 48152

                     1:00 PM—Small Business Exporter Award Presentation
                     Laurance Slovin 
                     ADDRESS: 1000 Hess Avenue, Saginaw, MI  48601

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Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news

Contacts: Carol Wilkerson (312) 353-7327/(224) 330-5659
Cathy Gase (313) 226-6075 x223

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration