WASHINGTON– The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced more details about the 2024 Small Business Persons of the Year from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.
Missouri’s Small Business Person of the Year is Charles (Charlie) M. Downs III of Sugarfire Smokehouse. SBA St. Louis District Director Maureen Brinkley stated, “Charlie Downs is an exemplary Small Business Person of the Year. He has effectively used SBA lending programs to get where he is now. Not only are there now Sugarfire Smokehouse franchise restaurants, but he has several sister restaurants under his corporate umbrella. We look forward to honoring him at our Small Business Week of Eastern Missouri (SBWEM) celebration on May 2.”
Each State Winner’s achievements are highlighted on the SBA website. They will be formally recognized in person April 28-29 during the National Small Business Week Award Ceremonies in Washington, D.C., where one of the state or territory winners will also be announced as the 2024 National Small Business Person of the Year.
The 2024 National Small Business Week (NSBW) will be held from April 28-May 4. In addition to the in-person Awards Ceremonies, the week-long National Small Business Week celebration will feature a virtual summit co-hosted by SCORE, mentors to America’s small businesses. For more information, please visit www.sba.gov/nsbw. Members of the media interested in scheduling interviews with Administrator Guzman should contact press_office@sba.gov.
The 2024 National Small Business Person(s) of the Year were announced on March 7 alongside the other National Small Business Week Award Winners, which also include lending partners, small business advocates, advisors, and investors who support America’s small business ecosystem.
For additional information about this year’s winners, please see here: www.sba.gov/document/support-2024-small-business-persons-year.
For additional information on the various activities which are a part of SBWEM, including the Awards luncheon and a slate of seminars and webinars, please visit https://sbwem.org/.
Co-sponsorship Authorization #24-1-C. SBA’s participation in this Cosponsored Activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any Cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.