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Florida SBDC at USF gives out awards to top performers

May 21, 2025 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Florida SBDC at USF earned the SBA 2025 Small Business Development Center of the Year award. Photo courtesy of Florida SBDC at USF
Dr. Nick Bottaro, of Beatific Vision in Odessa, accepts the award for SBDC Fastest Growth Business of the Year. Photo courtesy of Florida SBDC at USF

TAMPA – The Florida Small Business Development Center at University of South Florida recognized top professionals May 14 during the 2025 Florida SBDC at USF Annual Business Awards.
Winners are now eligible for Florida SBDC Network state awards. State award winners will be announced at the Network’s Annual Conference this coming August in Tampa.
During the awards, the Florida SBDC at USF was also recognized with the SBA 2025 Small Business Development Center of the Year Award by the U.S Small Business Administration.
“Our Florida SBDC at USF Annual Business Awards continues to be a great opportunity to celebrate entrepreneurship and recognize the Florida SBDC professionals who help businesses in our 10-county Tampa Bay region thrive,” said Carl Hadden, regional director of the Florida SBDC at USF. “We are fortunate enough to have a dedicated team, who worked tirelessly to make this a successful event, and honored to have been selected as the 2025 State of Florida SBDC Center of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.”
Below is a list of all the award winners.

Florida SBDC Performance Awards
• Team Spirit of the Year: Bill Burnham
• Rising Star of the Year: Debra Schweikowsky
• Performance Excellence Award: Randy Hayes
• Ambassador of the Year Award: Stephanie Ordonez
• Resource Partner of the Year: Greater Sebring Chamber of Commerce
• Graduate Student Team Project of the Year: Lithium Battery Company (University of Tampa)
• Undergraduate Student Team Project of the Year: Pinoy Cravings (Florida Southern College)

Florida SBDC at USF Small Business Awards
• SBDC Start Up Business of the Year: ABA on Demand LLC
• SBDC Export Business of the Year: Collective Circularity LLC
• SBDC Businessperson of the Year: Salty Roots Salon, LLC
• SBDC Veteran-Owned Business of the Year: Spectrum Custom Molds and Manufacturing
• SBDC Fastest Growth Business of the Year: Siloam Medical dba Beatific Vision
• SBDC Government Contractor of the Year: Onyx Cleaning Services, LLC
• SBDC Woman-Owned Business of the Year: Little Law, P.A.

SBA Small Business Awards
• SBA 2025 Small Business Development Center of the Year: Florida SBDC at USF
• SBA 2025 South Florida District & State Exporter of the Year: Yo Mama’s Foods Co.
• SBA 2025 South Florida District & State Small Businessperson of the Year: Point Summit
• SBA 2025 South Florida District Veteran Business Owner of the Year: PVM, Inc.
• 2025 Top SBA Certified Development Company Lender: Florida Development Corporation
• 2025 Top Lender by Number of Loans to Rural Businesses: SouthState Bank
On the web: sbdctampabay.com/award/

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