Small Business Leaders Recognized
SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPIONS: Gathered at the Chamber’s Small Business Awards Luncheon are, from left, Jim Light, owner of LaMode Cleaners and chair-elect of the Small Business Council; Don Walker, chairman of the Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Board of Directors and president and CEO of Arvest Bank; Martin Piplits, The Persimmon Group; Matt Stiner, City of Tulsa; Shannon Wilburn, Just Between Friends; Majick RavenHawk, Engage Life; Kelsy Eakin, Keltech; Marilyn Boyce, founder and president, Ambitious Web Services; Sean Kouplen, Regent Bank; and Mike Neal, president and CEO for the Tulsa Metro Chamber.
The Tulsa Metro Chamber announced April 28 the winners of its annual Small Business Awards at a luncheon and program at the Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills. Recipients were selected by the Chamber’s Small Business Council from nominees that exhibited entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to create jobs in the Tulsa area.
“We know from experience that economic downturns create more opportunities for small businesses to start up and grow,” said Don Walker, chairman of the Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Board of Directors and president and of Arvest Bank.
Brad Frank, president of Tulsa Tube Bending, was the keynote speaker of the event and shared his experiences of building his small business by creating a culture of cooperation and service to others.
DC Roberts, Senior Director of Sales, Williams & Williams Worldwide Real Estate Auction, emceed the awards program.
The award winners are:
Small Business Person of the Year: Bill Fournet, president and , The Persimmon Group.
Home-Based Business Champion: Marilyn Boyce, founder and president, Ambitious Web Services.
Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Kelsy Eakin, president and , Keltech.
Small Business Financial Services Champion: Sean Kouplen, president and , Regent Bank.
Minority Small Business Champion of the Year: Majick RavenHawk, Ph.D., founder and , Engage Life and RiverHawk International.
Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year: Matt Stiner, Assistant to the Mayor, City of Tulsa
Women in Business Champion: Shannon Wilburn, president and , Just Between Friends.
Small Business benefactor sponsors are Bank, Bank of Oklahoma and Bank. Sponsors for the awards include Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills, CommunityCare, Cubic, Emerge Interactive Media, Greater Tulsa Reporter Newspapers, The Journal Record, TulsaPeople and The Tulsa World.
Updated 06-08-2010
READER COMMENTS
About Post Author
