ANN ARBOR – Michigan’s outstanding, award-winning small businesses were honored Thursday night at the Lansing Center as the state’s major business organizations and agencies collaborated for the fourth annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business event.
The cooperative effort ? which named the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, Innovation of the Year and many other awards ? was hosted by the Edward Lowe Foundation, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, Small Business Association of Michigan and the U.S. Small Business Administration/Michigan.
?Michigan Celebrates Small Business recognizes Michigan’s entrepreneurial spirit in an exciting, collaborative event that brings together key organizations and agencies in our state that are striving to strengthen the future for our small business economy in Michigan,? says Carol Lopucki, state director of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center Network.
Award winners announced include the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, the Innovation of the Year, Main Street USA- Best Small Business, Government Contracting Award and U.S. Small Business Administration/Michigan awards.
The Michigan 50 Companies to Watch for 2008 program (list of winners attached) recognizes and celebrates the contributions, innovation and energy of the wide variety of second-stage companies in the state.
Startup companies and large corporations often garner attention for their achievements, but growing second-stage enterprises (working mostly behind the scenes) generate the bulk of new, sustainable jobs and are a powerful economic force underpinning the high quality of life most Americans enjoy.
The Michigan 50 Companies to Watch is sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation, a national nonprofit foundation based in southwest Michigan that supports entrepreneurship through research, education and recognition programs.
?When we first created Companies to Watch, it was about showcasing high growth companies that often flew below the radar screen of public recognition,? says Penny Lewandowski, the foundation?s director of entrepreneurship. ?Now in its fourth year, the program has evolved into a catalyst for change. It provides an opportunity to tell a different story about Michigan ? a story about entrepreneurship, growth, innovation and job creation. These companies are changing the face of Michigan.?
Companies nominated for the ?Michigan 50 Companies to Watch? list must be privately held, past the startup stage, be facing issues of growth, not survival; employ six to 99 full-time equivalent employees, including the owner; have between $750,000 and $50 million in annual revenue or working capital in place from investors or grants and be headquartered in Michigan.
Winners were selected by the Michigan Certified Development Corporation, Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, the Small Business Association of Michigan, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Edward Lowe Foundation. Judges evaluated the nominees? demonstrated intent and capacity to grow based on one or more of the following: employee or sales growth, exceptional entrepreneurial leadership, sustainable competitive advantage and other notable factors that showcase the company’s success.
Other Michigan Celebrates Small Business award winners were:
Innovation Award: K-Space of Ann Arbor (Contact Darryl Barlett, 734-668-4644). To be eligible for this award, a product or service must have been developed and earned revenue for the first time during 2007 and be nominated to the Small Business Association of Michigan.
Best Small Business ? Main Street USA Award: Relevar Home Care LLC of Mt. Clemens (Contact: Misty Delegato, 586-493-7677). The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center statewide network consists of 12 regions. Each region internally nominates a small business they have been assisting, for a minimum of one year. These 12 nominations are then be submitted to a panel for further review; one of the 12 is honored at the statewide level.
Government Contracting Award: Armor Express of Central Lake (Contact: Steve Baker, 231-544-6090). The Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) of Michigan help small firms sell to the government and explore export opportunities. The network of 13 statewide offices nominates a business they have been assisting for a minimum of one year. The nominations are then submitted to a panel for further review.
A list of the U.S. Small Business Administration/Michigan awards is attached.
National City is the lead sponsor for Michigan Celebrates Small Business. Other sponsors are Clark Hill PLC Attorneys at Law, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Accident Fund Insurance Company of America, IBM and Dynamic Edge, Inc. Media partners include MiBiz, Crain?s Detroit Business, Upper Peninsula Business Today, MITechNews.Com, WWJ Newsradio 950 and The Daily Dash, and the Greater Lansing Business Monthly.
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