Winners will be honored at May 3 awards luncheon preceded by free networking event for small businesses

LAS VEGAS – Vegas PBS announced today – in co-partnership with the Nevada District office of the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) – the 2018 Nevada SBA Small Business Awards winners. Winners will be honored at an awards luncheon on Thursday, May 3, 2018, at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino from noon to 1:30 p.m. The luncheon will be preceded by the Small Business Network Expo from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

The SBA Small Business Network Expo is a free event for small business owners, entrepreneurs, start-ups and anyone that works for a small business or are considering starting their own business. Attendees will build valuable new business relationships, network with peers and find new vendors that will help business owners improve their business. Expo tables are available for $100. Attendees are required to register. To register or purchase a table, visit the event registration page.

The SBA Awards Luncheon will celebrate the achievements and impact of the winning Nevada small business owners. Award categories include Veteran Owned Business of the Year, Woman Owned Business of the Year and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, among others. The SBA awards will recognize 16 business owners in 12 award categories.

Tickets for the awards ceremony are $60 per person or $550 for a table of 10. For more information on the Expo and Awards Luncheon, contact Summer Collins at 702.799.1010 x5356 or scollins@VegasPBS.org.
2018 Nevada SBA Small Business Awards categories and winners:

• Small Business Person of the Year: Mehdi Zarhloul, Founder and CEO, Crazy Pita Rotisserie & Grill (Henderson)
• Veteran Owned Business of the Year: James Vincent “Chef” Barlow, USAF Retired, CEO, Blue Air Training, LLC (Las Vegas)
• Woman Owned Business of the Year: Leila Louise Hale, Attorney and Founder, Hale Injury Law (Henderson)
• Microenterprise Business of the Year: Ty Martin, Owner, Craft Wine & Beer (Reno)
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Jonathan Santos, Founder and CEO; Medin Gebrezgier, Co-Founder and CMO; and Cesar Santos, Co-Founder and Product Manager, Revive (Las Vegas)
• Rural Small Business of the Year: Troy Anthony Pefley, President and Owner, Royal Floors (Fernely)
• Family Owned Small Business of the Year: Christian Andrew Christensen, President and Director; and Kasey Michelle Christensen, Secretary and Treasurer, Stockpot Inc. dbaSÜP Restaurant (Reno)
• Minority Owned Small Business of the Year: Annielyn Abellana Abarca, CEO; and Reymundo Sison Abarca, COO, All About Details, LLC (Las Vegas)
• Nevada Entrepreneurial Spirit –Statewide Recipient: Kathleen Cecelia Carrico, Statewide Training Director, Nevada SBDC (Reno)
• Nevada Entrepreneurial Spirit – Urban Recipient: Rodney P. Jorgensen, Statewide Training Director, Nevada SBDC (Reno)
• Nevada Entrepreneurial Spirit –Rural Recipient: Mary Kerner, CEO, Rural Nevada Development Corporation (Ely)
• Nevada Legacy Award: Karen Cashman, President, Cashman Photo Enterprises of Nevada, Inc. (Las Vegas)

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Dedicated to enriching lives in Southern Nevada, Vegas PBS uses television and other technologies to educate and empower individuals and to amplify the effectiveness of community organizations.

Vegas PBS Channel 10 is one of America’s most-watched PBS stations and offers five unique secondary channels: Create, VEGAS PBS KIDS, Worldview, Rewind and Jackpot! Vegas PBS also collaborates with strategic partners to create content that examines current and historic regional issues.

Vegas PBS provides outreach programs to assist students of any age, from childhood through adulthood; professional development services for teachers; online adult job training and education courses; career services and resources for veterans; literacy and health workshops for families; educational materials for the deaf, hard of hearing, blind or vision impaired; and 24/7 online access to content via an array of devices and media.

Vegas PBS sponsors job fairs for veterans, networking events for small businesses and on-demand online career certification courses that provide business owners the skilled workers they need. The station works in tandem with business and industry partners for workforce and economic development.

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