Ann Sabbag, president of Health Designs Inc., was named the 2012 SBA North Florida district and state “Small Business Person of the Year.”
Health Designs, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, provides employee health assessments, biometric screenings and individual health coaching to companies in 22 states throughout the Southeast and Midwest.
Sabbag was nominated by the University of North Florida Small Business Development Center.
The SBA District Office also announced 2012 winners in several more categories:
• Joanne Jolin, vice president of Atlantic Coast Bank, Orlando, was named district and state “Financial Services Champion of the Year.”
• William Patton, vice president, Strategic Business Development for KRATOS Defense & Security Solutions Inc., Orlando, “Minority Business Champion of the Year.”
• Ronald Rose, president of Nova Pressroom Products LLC, Jacksonville, district, state and regional “Exporter of the Year.”
• Anthony Marlow, president of TCC Marlow Enterprises, doing business as The Golden Lion Café, Flagler Beach, district, state and regional “Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year.”
• Dr. Kerry Giedd, president and CEO of Eola Eyes, Orlando, district and state “Women in Business Champion of the Year.”
• Charles Armstrong, financial adviser, Florida Financial Group, Jacksonville, district, state and regional “Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year.”
• Neal Kimball, president of Kimball Companies LLC, Orlando, was chosen for the distinguished 2012 “Entrepreneurial Success Award” for the district, state and region. To qualify, individuals must own and operate businesses initially launched as small businesses according to SBA size standards and subsequently developed into large businesses, and they must have received SBA assistance to help the businesses grow.
“We are extremely proud of the number of amazing nominations that came into our office for Small Business Week” said SBA District Director Wilfredo Gonzalez in a news release.
The 2012 Small Business Week award winners from the Jacksonville area and the top North Florida SBA lenders will be recognized at the 19th Annual Small Business Week & Lender awards celebration from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. May 24 at the UNF University Center, hosted by the UNF Small Business Development Center. For more information, visit www.sbdc.unf.edu.
The Orlando area Small Business Week winners will be honored May 15 at the Citrus Club at an event hosted by the Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida.
For more information about the winners or SBA programs, visit www.sba.gov/fl/north or call 443-1900.
National Small Business Week will be May 20-26 in Washington, D.C.