The U.S. Small Business Administration Richmond District Office’s online portal is open and ready to accept nominations for the 2015 Small Business Person of the Year.

“This year we have reduced the number of awards to only Small Business Person of the Year,” said SBA’s Richmond District Director Carl Knoblock. “This award has shown in the past the biggest return on investment to the business.”

Small Business Person of the Year is a highly competitive award that recognizes a successful small business. Criteria are based on staying power, growth, financial performance, innovativeness, response to adversity, and community involvement. Any individual or organization dedicated to the support of the small business community may nominate a business for this award. Submission guidelines and additional information and can be downloaded on the dedicated web portal at http://awards.sba.gov.

In addition to the district award, business may be nominated including self-nominations to compete in National SBA Awards recognized during National Small Business Week. The categories of awards include the following:

• Phoenix Awards (recognizing outstanding accomplishments during disaster recovery)
• Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year
• Small Business Subcontractor of the Year
• The Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence (recognizes large prime contractors who have used small businesses as suppliers and contractors)
• 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)
• Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service Award (nominations of SBA-funded Veterans Business Outreach Centers)
• Small Business Investment Company of the Year

Nominations can be submitted online, postmarked or hand delivered to the SBA no later than 3 p.m. EST, Monday, Jan. 5, 2015. In addition to the portal, nominations can also be sent directly to SBA’s Richmond District Office located at 400 N. 8th Street, Suite 1150, Richmond, Va. 23219. For contact information and other District Office information visit online at www.sba.gov/va or call Matthew Nowak at 804-253-9088.

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. For over 50 years, SBA will continue its tradition in honoring the nation’s 28 million small businesses.

The Virginia SBDC is partnering with Intuit to bring you Quickbooks Financing, an online tool designed to help match you with the right lending provider. Click here to learn more.

Governor McAuliffe announced that June will be designated as Virginia’s Business Appreciation Month to ensure that the history and growth of Virginia businesses are recognized across the Commonwealth. There is a crucial correlation between strong business and strong communities. Vibrant and strong communities produce strong businesses, and strong businesses make communities strong and vibrant. To view the governor’s proclamation, click here.

Registration is now open for Virginia Small Business Week Awards luncheon scheduled for Friday, June 13 from 11am to 2pm at the Richmond Omni. Businesses may register for a table at either the Gold or Silver level. Individuals may register for $45 (plus processing fee). We are proud to have Ms. Lillian Lincoln Lambert, the first African American woman to earn a Harvard MBA and Maryland's 1981 SBPOY, as the mistress of ceremonies.

Click here for more information about the event and registration.

The Richmond District Office has extended the deadline for submitting district awards to February 28, 2014.

Submission for the following categories are still wanted:
Family-Owned Business of the Year
Financial Services Champion of the Year
Minority Small Business Champion of the Year
Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year
Women in Business Champion of the Year

Nominations can be sent to:
SBA Richmond District Office
400 N. 8th Street, Suite 1150
Richmond, VA 23226
(804) 771-2400 x128

or

by email to:
matthew.nowak@sba.gov

Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson and Ambassador of Mexico to the United States Eduardo Medina Mora will deliver remarks and witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between George Mason University and the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL), February 6, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. in the Delegates Lounge at the U.S. Department of State. As leading members of Small Business Development Center (SBDC) networks, George Mason’s Mason Enterprise Center and UANL are establishing the first International Sister Center partnership under the Small Business Network of the Americas (SBNA).

As Sister Centers, George Mason and UANL will cooperate on soft landing programs for small businesses looking to establish a presence in the vicinity of Monterrey, Mexico or the Commonwealth of Virginia. George Mason will be represented by the Vice President for Global and International Strategies, Dr. Anne Schiller; UANL will be represented by Vice President for Sustainable Development, Dr. Sergio Fernandez Delgadillo. The Sister Centers will also generally support activities that promote bilateral trade, share best practices in entrepreneurial assistance, carry out faculty and student exchanges, and explore other possibilities for collaboration between SBDCs hosted by each university.

Launched in 2012 at the Sixth Summit of the Americas, SBNA is President Obama’s signature initiative to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, and small business growth in the Western Hemisphere. For more information on SBNA, see www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSFDJMbx9FE. For inquiries on SBNA, please contact SBNA@state.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Richmond District office is accepting nominations for its 2014 Small Business Week awards luncheon scheduled for May 2014. The RDO will accept nominations up to February 7, 2014.

Anyone advocating small business including self-nominators may submit nomination packets. Nominations can be mailed, hand-delivered directly to the Richmond District Office or submitted online through a registration process at http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3155/news/772001/.

The Richmond District Office will award the following categories:
• Small Business Person of the Year
• Small Business Exporter of the Year
• Family-Owned Business of the Year
• Minority Small Business of the Year
• Financial Services Champion
• Veteran’s Small Business Champion
• Women in Business Champion

Winners will receive their awards at the annual Virginia Small Business Week awards luncheon scheduled for the Richmond area in May 2014. Additional tickets will be available for purchase by supporters of small business, the business community and the general public.

Nomination materials and forms can be found at http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3155/news/772001/ or requested through a Richmond District Office SBA representative.

Winners of each category will be submitted for national awards of the same category and will be invited to attend events during the 2014 National Small Business Week in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Richmond District office is accepting nominations for its 2014 Small Business Week awards luncheon scheduled for May 2014. The RDO will accept nominations up to 4 p.m. January 10, 2014.

Anyone advocating small business including self-nominators may submit nomination packets. Nominations can be mailed, hand-delivered directly to the Richmond District Office or submitted online through a registration process at http://nationalsmallbusinessweek.sba.gov/.

The Richmond District Office will award the following categories:
• Small Business Person of the Year
• Small Business Exporter of the Year
• Family-Owned Business of the Year
• Minority Small Business of the Year
• Financial Services Champion
• Veteran’s Small Business Champion
• Women in Business Champion

Winners will receive their awards at the annual Virginia Small Business Week awards luncheon scheduled for the Richmond area in May 2014. Additional tickets will be available for purchase by supporters of small business, the business community and the general public.

Nomination materials and forms can be found at http://nationalsmallbusinessweek.sba.gov/ or requested through a Richmond District Office SBA representative.

Winners of each category will be submitted for national awards of the same category and will be invited to attend events during the 2014 National Small Business Week in Washington, D.C.

MountainRose Vineyards, a Mountain Empire SBDC client was one of two finalists for a national commercial in the American Express "Shop Small" campaign that you may have seen on TV.   There business was chosen as one of only two commercials filmed!  In case you missed it check out their video here:

Again, congrats to Mountain Rose Vineyards.  We are honored to have them as one of our many outstanding SBDC small business clients!  Make sure you support our small businesses and check out Mountain Rose at  http://www.mountainrosevineyard.com/.

The Virginia SBDC Network is pleased to announce that it has been awarded 2 of the 7 U.S. Small Business Administration Portable Assistance Grants awarded nationally. These grants support programs that assist small businesses in communities suffering from a major disaster or economic hardship. In the case of Virginia, the assistance will be directed to small businesses impacted by defense contract cutbacks in Northern Virginia and in Hampton Roads.

The first grant will assist federal contractors in Northern Virginia in exporting their services to global markets, including identifying target markets, understanding security regulations and policies, securing financing, etc.

The second grant will establish the Southeastern Virginia Contracting Institute, designed to educate small contractors in new ways to approach, bid, and execute government contractors in the future, and it includes training, one-on-one confidential counseling, and peer mentoring.

These two programs will support job increases, capital formation, and sales growth, all of which will boost these local Virginia economies.