The Seattle District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration is accepting nominations for its 2009 Washington State Small Business Awards Competition. Any individual or organization may submit nominations. A company, owner, or business advocate can also self-nominate. Award categories include:

Small Business Person of the Year

Home-Based Business Champion of the Year

Entrepreneurial Success Award

Minority Small Business Champion of the Year

Small Business Exporter Small

Business Journalist of the Year

SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year

Jeffrey Butland Family–Owned Business of the Year

Women in Business Champion of the Year

Financial Services Champion of the Year

The winner of the Washington State Small Business Person of the Year, along with all Champion Award winners will be honored locally at the Washington State Awards Gala in Seattle April 2009 and continue on to compete for national honors.

The deadline for all nominations is Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008. For a copy of the nomination criteria, contact Carol Andersen, SBA, at 206-553-7315, carol.andersen@sba.gov. Downloadable nomination forms are also available electronically at www.sba.gov/wa/seattle “under spotlight” SBW 2009.