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Michigan Celebrates Small Business Extends Award Nominations Deadline

LANSING -- The nomination deadline for the eighth annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards program for entrepreneurs and supporters of small business has been extended to Nov. 18.  Nomination forms are available now at www.michigancelebrates.biz.

Award categories for business owners include the Small Business Person of the Year, Family-Owned Business, Young Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Exporter.  Champion of the year awards include Financial Services, Home-Based Business, Minority Small Business, Veteran Small Business, Woman in Business, Small Business Counselor, and Small Business Journalist.  Also included are awards for Innovation, Urban Entrepreneurship, Main Street USA Best Small Business, and Government Contracting.

This year features the inaugural year for the Urban Entrepreneur of the Year award.  To be considered for this award, entrepreneurs and companies must meet the following for the year ending 2011:
* Headquartered in a designated urban (examples, but not limited to Saginaw, Detroit and Flint) community for a minimum of three-years
* Six to 99 employees, and $750,000 to $50-million in revenues, with demonstrated growth in employment and/or revenue in two of the past five years
* Evidence of customer receipts from markets beyond the service area of Michigan, from regional or global markets
* Demonstrated potential necessary for long-term business success and economic growth

The Michigan 50 Companies to Watch will also be honored at the awards dinner. Sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation, the program celebrates the state's second-stage businesses. It is designed to discover and honor the second-stage companies that make an impact in their markets, in their communities and in the state. Michigan Celebrates is seeking companies known for their marketplace performance, innovation, philanthropy and corporate culture.

Nominations are due Nov. 18 and can come from service providers (such as attorneys, bankers, accountants, public relations representatives, economic development professionals, etc.) or companies may apply directly as well.  Nominees will receive an e-mail with instructions to complete an online application by Dec. 2.

Michigan Celebrates Small Business is a partnership of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, Michigan Economic Development Corp., the Edward Lowe Foundation, Small Business Association of Michigan, U.S. Small Business Administration-Michigan and the Greater Lansing Business Monthly.

Michigan Celebrates Small Business is made possible with the generous support of PNC Bank, the MEDC, the DTE Energy Foundation, Comcast Business Class, Varnum Law, Michigan Certified Development Co., Accident Fund, Michigan Credit Union League and Dynamic Edge Inc.

Media partners for Michigan Celebrates Small Business are MiBiz, Crain's Detroit Business, Upper Peninsula Business Today, the Traverse City Business News, the Greater Lansing Business Monthly, Corp Magazine, MiTechnews.com, WWJ Newsradio 950, Michigan Radio and WCMU Radio.

For more information regarding Michigan Celebrates Small Business contact Jennifer Deamud at the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, managing partner of Michigan Celebrates Small Business, at deamudj@gvsu.edu or (616) 331-7482.

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