The steering committee members of the Women’s Leadership Council and winners of the Women in Business Champion of the Year award are Mamie Nicholson (l), Claire Kuhl (third from left), Phyllis Nolan (fourth from left), Elliott Cooper, and Kathryn Wade (r), Congressman Barrett’s office. In the middle of Nat ional Smal l Busi - ness Week, May 2–8, the Small Business Administration South Carolina District Office held an awards luncheon at the city’s convention center on Lincoln Street. The gather ing celebrated the smal l businesses that drive South Carolina’s economy and the business advocates who work to improve our state’s entrepreneurial environment.

Earlier in the morning the SBA produced a ser ies of seven shor t seminars on the basics of small business:

(1) “How to do business wi th the federal government”

(2) “How to do business with the state government”

Elliott Cooper, district director, SBA South Carolina District Office, with Rebecca Urkes, UEC Electronics, LLC, Hanahan, SC, Small Business Person of the Year. (3) “Financing your small business”

(4) “How to manage cash for business success”

(5) “Access to capital”

(6) “Lean product development”

(7) “Workforce initiative”

Seen among the awards luncheon crowd were Rene Ann Tewkesbury from Sen. Lindsey Graham’s Columbia of f ice and Kathryn Wade, who represented Rep. Gresham Barrett. Also noted was the presence of Norm Paige, the state director for SCORE, the retired execut ives who of fer time and expertise to start–up business owners.

The awards luncheon recognized the South Carolina winners of the SBA’s small business awards competition that began in the fal l of the previous year. The awards nominat ions underwent a st renuous clearance and review process, ensuring that the winners selected were truly extraordinary.

Janet Graham, Small Business Development Center, State Star. The SBA South Carol ina Dist r ict Of f ice Director Elliott Cooper began the ceremony by recognizing the 20th Contracting Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base as the recipient of the

National SBA Gold Star

Awa rd. The dist r ict’s

Small Business Partner

of the Year was Elizabeth Conway, administrator, SCORE Coastal Chapter 285. Cooper also called Janet Graham to the stage as the SBDC State Star . Graham is the area manager for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Cooper rel inquished the lecturn to Mike Woolfolk, noted local television broadcast journal ist , who cal led the remaining award winners one at a time to the stage.
Mike Sandusky, BCI Lending, 7(a ) Loan Dollar Volume #1.
Marc Johnson, First Ci tizens Bank and Trust, 504 First Mortga ge Lender of the Yea r.
Paul Rideout, Sr. VP Security Federal Bank, Financia l Services Champion.
Edwin Leslie, Certified Development Corporation of SC, Number of 540 Loans #1.
Kei th Black, Provident Business Financial Services, Number of 504 Loans #2.
George Long, VP Appalachian Development Corporation, Number of 504 Loans #3.
Dr. Dan Robinson, CEO Piedmont Health Group, Business Person of Year Runner–Up.