SBA extends nomination deadline

JACKSON — The deadline to submit a nomination for a Mississippi U.S. Small Business Administration 2010 Small Business Week award has been extended to Jan. 8.

There are various awards for the small business community along with champion awards for those that support or promote small businesses. They are:

• Small Business Awards — Small Business Person of the Year, Small Business Exporter of the Year, SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year, Community Rural Lender of the Year and Entrepreneurial Success Award.

• Champion Awards — Financial Services Champion of the Year, Home-Based Business Champion of the Year, Minority Small Business Champion of the Year, Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year and Women in Business Champion of the Year. (Champions may or may not be small business owners.)

Individuals may self-nominate or nominate someone else. All nominations must be received at the SBA Gulfport Branch Office or postmarked by Jan. 8. Mississippi Small Business Week awardees will be recognized in late spring 2010.

A nomination package containing guidelines, forms and additional details is available online at www.sba.gov/ms under “Spotlight.”