WASHINGTON – Today Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) honored four outstanding small business award winners from Massachusetts who received awards during National Small Business Week in Washington, D.C. The awards were for two small businesses and two lenders who assisted small businesses.
"Small businesses in Massachusetts are the leaders and innovators creating jobs and boosting our economy," said Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. "Our state is blessed to have entrepreneurs and small business supporters of this caliber, and I am proud they are getting the recognition they deserve for their achievements."
Kerry addressed small business winners from around the country today at the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) awards luncheon where he honored the Massachusetts Small Business Person of the Year, Craig A. Bovaird from Princeton, Mass., president Built-Rite Tool and Die, Inc. based in Lancaster. The company specializes in developing and manufacturing thermoplastics for the aerospace, medical, defense and high-tech industries.
"Craig defied the odds and expanded his company, creating jobs in the Lancaster community while other plastics manufacturers were on the decline. Craig is a deserving recipient of this award as a hard-working entrepreneur, proud father of three daughters, and a pillar of his community," said Kerry.
Patrick Turley, president of Turley Publications, Inc., in Palmer, Mass., was also honored with the Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery. When his business faced massive flooding in October 2005, which caused $993,000 in property losses, Turley rallied his employees and still printed two university newspapers on time. With the help of a federal disaster loan, Turley was able to resume running his plant at full capacity just five months after the storms.
"Patrick’s perseverance, leadership and courage in the wake of a disaster is commendable. By keeping his plant running, he kept people working and showed the people of Palmer that they too could overcome adversity. Patrick is the face of why we need an efficient disaster loan program that’s a hand up, not a hand out," said Kerry.
The SBA also honored Anne Marie Cerami, from Burlington, Mass. as the 2007 National Financial Services Champion. Cerami is the Senior Vice President and Manager of Agency Guaranty Programs at TD Banknorth Inc., a leading banking and financial services company. Cerami's leadership resulted in $40 billion in total consolidated assets, as of the end of 2006. The Export Lender of the Year Award went to James M. Hanlon, Vice President of Sovereign Bank in Boston.
"Today we celebrate the accomplishments not just of small businesses, but the banks and financial institutions who support the work of small firms by working to get them the capital they need to start and expand their businesses. Massachusetts' entrepreneurs are thriving thanks to the work of Anne and James," said Kerry.
"Small businesses in Massachusetts are the leaders and innovators creating jobs and boosting our economy," said Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. "Our state is blessed to have entrepreneurs and small business supporters of this caliber, and I am proud they are getting the recognition they deserve for their achievements."
Kerry addressed small business winners from around the country today at the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) awards luncheon where he honored the Massachusetts Small Business Person of the Year, Craig A. Bovaird from Princeton, Mass., president Built-Rite Tool and Die, Inc. based in Lancaster. The company specializes in developing and manufacturing thermoplastics for the aerospace, medical, defense and high-tech industries.
"Craig defied the odds and expanded his company, creating jobs in the Lancaster community while other plastics manufacturers were on the decline. Craig is a deserving recipient of this award as a hard-working entrepreneur, proud father of three daughters, and a pillar of his community," said Kerry.
Patrick Turley, president of Turley Publications, Inc., in Palmer, Mass., was also honored with the Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery. When his business faced massive flooding in October 2005, which caused $993,000 in property losses, Turley rallied his employees and still printed two university newspapers on time. With the help of a federal disaster loan, Turley was able to resume running his plant at full capacity just five months after the storms.
"Patrick’s perseverance, leadership and courage in the wake of a disaster is commendable. By keeping his plant running, he kept people working and showed the people of Palmer that they too could overcome adversity. Patrick is the face of why we need an efficient disaster loan program that’s a hand up, not a hand out," said Kerry.
The SBA also honored Anne Marie Cerami, from Burlington, Mass. as the 2007 National Financial Services Champion. Cerami is the Senior Vice President and Manager of Agency Guaranty Programs at TD Banknorth Inc., a leading banking and financial services company. Cerami's leadership resulted in $40 billion in total consolidated assets, as of the end of 2006. The Export Lender of the Year Award went to James M. Hanlon, Vice President of Sovereign Bank in Boston.
"Today we celebrate the accomplishments not just of small businesses, but the banks and financial institutions who support the work of small firms by working to get them the capital they need to start and expand their businesses. Massachusetts' entrepreneurs are thriving thanks to the work of Anne and James," said Kerry.