SBA Small Business Week Awards Luncheon

Come celebrate Oregon Small Business at this year's Small Business Week Awards Luncheon. Nearly 98% of the employers in Oregon are small business owners representing more than 335,000 small businesses. Their hard work and dedication deserves special recognition and gratitude, especially on this one day a year.

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber will be addressing the attendees and participating in the presentation of the Small Business Person of the Year award.

Additional small business awards that will be presented include: Small Business Exporter of the Year, 8(a) Graduate of the Year, Family-Owned Business of the Year, Director’s Impact Award, Director’s Rising Star Award, and Director’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.

Small Business Champions, individuals or organizations that promote, assist and aid small business will receive awards honoring their impact on small business. During 2012, more than 9,000 clients were counseled and trained by the SBA's resource partners located in the Portland District. The network of resource partners in Oregon and SW Washington includes 21 Small Business Development Centers, 5 SCORE Chapters, a Women's Business Center and a Veterans Business Outreach Center. Small Business owners with long-term counselors see bigger sales, hire more workers and last longer. The techincal assistance, business help and mentorship provided by SBA resource partners, entrepreneurial development programs and other community organizations are priceless.

The luncheon also recognizes leading SBA Lenders who provide the capital small businesses need to grow and succeed. Here in the Portland District, we’ve had back to back record years of lending following the Recession. In fiscal year 2012, these lenders delivered $428.7 million in supported loans, eclipsing the previous record year of $391.7 million in supported loans. The lender awardees are representative of the more than 60 qualified lenders in Oregon.

Come join us, other small and medium sized businesses, lending institutions, sponsors, and resource partners from across Oregon and SW Washington as we celebrate small business.