{"id":5942,"date":"2024-06-10T08:26:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-10T08:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ournewsmag.com\/?p=5942"},"modified":"2024-06-12T20:09:28","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T20:09:28","slug":"sba-to-host-2024-business-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ournewsmag.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/10\/sba-to-host-2024-business-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"SBA to Host 2024 Business Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

   Several Pine Belt entrepreneurs will be celebrated by The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Mississippi District Office 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 25, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three of the 10 awardees are from the Pine Belt, and one from Smith County.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Wholly Fire Foods<\/strong>, owned by James and Doris Louis, is named the Minority Small Business of the Year. Amay Jewelry Designs<\/strong>, by Chryston A. Amay, will receive the Women-Owned Small Business of the Year award, along with co-owner Roberto Amay, and Cedric and Joan Anderson, of Taylorsville, will receive the Rural Small Business of the Year for C.J.\u2019s Southern Seasonings<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0The president and chief executive officer of Peoples Bank of Magee, Dennis Ammann<\/strong>, will be awarded as the Financial Services Champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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James Louis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Chryston Amay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Roberto Amay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Cedric and Joan Anderson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Dennis Ammann<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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John A. Ruskey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

   The recipient of the 2024 SBA Mississippi Small Businessperson of the Year is John Ruskey, founder and owner of Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Quapaw Canoe Company provides adventures and expeditions by canoe, kayak, or paddle board on the Mississippi River. John started Quapaw Canoe Company in 1998 with one aluminum canoe. Quapaw currently has 12 employees, and its growth has led to the opening of additional locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other award winners are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exporter of the Year<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vibe, LLC (DBA) Glo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hagan Walker (photo: LinkedIn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Anna Barker (photo: Linkedin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hagan Walker, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Anna Barker, Chief Creative Officer and Co-founder, Starkville, MS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young Entrepreneur of the Year<\/u>                                               <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abbikadabbi\u2019s Baking Co. LLC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Abigail Nichols, Owner, Olive Branch, MS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minority Small Business Champion of the Year<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community Students Learning Center, Beulah M. Greer, Executive Director, Lexington, MS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veterans Business Center Mississippi State University<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Natalie Rhodes, Veterans Programs Coordinator, Starkville, MS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veteran Small Business of the Year<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colemans Farm LLC, James E. Burch, Chief Executive Officer, Lexington, MS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TOP LENDER AWARDS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n