This month, the Maryland Small Business Week Awards Program celebrated its 32nd year by honoring the area's small business community under one roof. Held at Martin's West in Woodlawn, the program highlighted the importance of small business to the local economy and across the nation.
Les Hall, Maryland Commerce's program manager of small business financing, was honored with the Minority Small Business Champion of the Year award. Les has served the department for the past 22 years, delivering financial resources and services to local businesses and governments. Currently, Les primarily focuses on providing assistance to small, minority-owned, woman and veteran-owned businesses.
"We are so proud to have Les Hall represent the Maryland Department of Commerce and the entire state of Maryland," said Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. "Les has advocated for the small business community for years and continues to prove himself with every project Commerce throws his way. This award is very well-deserved."
The full list of winners from the 2016 Maryland Small Business Week Awards Program:
Maryland Small Business Person of the Year Patrick Munis, New Wave Telecom & Technologies, Elkridge
Accountant Advocate Macushla Wiedorn, Common Sense Income Tax Preparation, Severna Park
Attorney Advocate Daniel G. Downer, Jr., Esq., Daniel G. Downer, Jr., Attorney at Law, Annapolis
District Director's Unsung Hero Robert Wallace, BITHGroup Technologies, Baltimore
Entrepreneurial Success Tori Paide & Marla Peoples, Still Point Wellness Spas, Columbia
Family-Owned Small Business Joanie Gerber, Bikle Manufacturing, Inc., Smithsburg
Financial Services Champion Maurice Ames, MD Capital Enterprises, Inc., Salisbury
Home-Based Business Champion Laura Wiegmann, Laura's Eyes Photography, Pasadena
Insurance Champion Jerrie Bey-Taylor, The Lion Heart Group, Cambridge
Minority Small Business Champion of the Year Celester "Les" Hall, MD Dept. of Commerce, Baltimore
"Rising Star" Student Entrepreneur of the Year Javon Gholston & Michael Heier, DeSolder Pen, Baltimore
Small Business Exporter of the Year Mark Rice, Maritime Applied Physics, Baltimore
Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year Alexander Fakeri, Mojo Web Solutions, Baltimore
Women in Business Champion of the Year Diane Montier, Bruster's Ice Cream, Glen Burnie
Young Entrepreneur of the Year Paul Rineholt & Nick Gregori, Dorchester Decoy Rentals, Cambridge
For more information contact Rachel Howard at (410) 244-3337 or at rachel.howard@sba.gov. For information on the 2016 Maryland Small Business Week Awards, visit www.mdsbwawards.org.
