Each year for the past 43 years, the President has issued a proclamation declaring Small Business Week as a time for America to salute the achievements and contributions of the Nation’s 25 million small businesses. The National Small Business Week Celebration will be held May 17-22, 2009 in Washington DC. The SBA North Florida District Office is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of outstanding small business owners across North Florida.

The SBA North Florida Small Business Person of the Year will be announced before the National Small Business Week celebration in May.

The SBA North Florida District Office is proud to honor Regional Small Business Week Winner: Andrew (Andy) Harold of A. Harold & Associates, LLC of Jacksonville. The Regional recognition means this individual was selected as a Small Business Week winner for the States of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. Andy Harold is the recipient of the 2009 Entrepreneurial Success Award as President of A. Harold and Associates, LLC (a technology, engineering, training and services firm).

The SBA is also proud to announce District & State Winner, Manish Kothari, CEO of Prism Lighting Services, LLC. Mr. Kothari has been named Small Business Exporter of the Year. Prism Lighting Services, LLC is a Jacksonville based firm that specializes in the manufacturing, sales and marketing of the international patented Prism Inflatable Light.

Kim Knapp, President of Dental Temps of Northeast Florida, Inc. has been named the North Florida Women in Business Champion. Dental Temps of Northeast Florida, Inc. is a professional staffing agency exclusively serving the employment needs of the dental profession; making temporary or permanent placements.

The list of winners follows. The North Florida District Office of the SBA provides customer-driven outreach, business services, and loan program management for 43 counties in North Florida.

SBA Entrepreneurial Success Award: District, State & Region

Andrew Elisha Harold, President
A. Harold and Associates (AHA), LLC
Jacksonville, Florida
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Small Business Exporter of the Year: District & State

Manish Kothari, CEO
Prism Lighting Services, LLC
Jacksonville, Florida

Women in Business Champion of the Year: District

Kim E. Knapp, President
Dental Temps of Northeast Florida, Inc.
Jacksonville, Florida

The 2009 Small Business Week Award Winners (and top SBA lenders) will be recognized at the 17th Annual Small Business Week & Lender Awards Celebration on April 30, 2009 in Jacksonville at the University of North Florida’s University Center from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. This event is hosted by the Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida. For more information on this award ceremony, please visit