SBA Minnesota Celebrates 2023 SBA's National Small Business Person of the Year

MINNEAPOLIS – The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Minnesota office has named nine small business owners and SBA resource partners as Minnesota award winners for National Small Business Week. Held this year April 30-May 6, National Small Business Week annually recognizes the critical contributions of America’s 33 million small business owners and entrepreneurs.

“With more than 500,000 small businesses in Minnesota, we are excited to celebrate the efforts of Minnesota’s hard-working, innovative businesses and resource partners who boost the economy and create jobs this week,” said Brian McDonald, District Director of SBA Minnesota District Office. “It’s the first time in SBA history that a Minnesota Small Business Person of the Year has also won the 2023 SBA National Small Business Person of the Year. Abdirahman Kahin of Afro Deli Inc., was selected from more than 50 winners from U.S. states and territories as SBA’s national winner. He and all the Minnesota winners also go above and beyond to give back to their communities.”

SBA Great Lakes Regional Administrator Geri Aglipay notes, “Since 1964, National Small Business Week is the most important week of the year for the SBA. The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to be investing in America. We’re spotlighting the resilience of America’s entrepreneurs who help build an economy from the middle out and bottom up, versus an economy that trickles from the top down.”

The 2023 SBA Minnesota National Small Business Week award winners are:

1. National Small Business Person of the Year and Minnesota District Office Small Business Person of the Year, Abdirahman Kahin, Afro Deli, Inc., St. Paul and Minneapolis.

2. Family-Owned Small Business of the Year, Heather Hoffman and Andrew Leach, Commercial Drywall INC, Blaine

3. Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year, Jose Carrazco, West Oakland Auto Repair, LLC, Austin

4. Veteran Small Business of the Year, Dr. Kenneth Dodge, Falls Optical and Pierz Eyecare, Little Falls and Pierz

5. Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Garrett Larson, Ronnings, INC, International Falls

6. Woman-Owned Business of the Year, Adelle Starin, Baby’s on Broadway, Little Falls

7. Encore Entrepreneurs of the Year, John Cariveau, Bradley Klatt and Mark Skoglund, Uncommon Loon Brewing, Chisago City

8. Women Business Center of the Year for Excellence, Women’s Business Alliance, Central, Little Falls

9. For the ninth award, Northland SBDC in Duluth is the SBA Great Lakes Regional Office winner for SBDC Excellence and Innovation Center of the Year award. They received this award out of 121 SBDCs across the SBA Region V states of Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Northland was also the winner of the SBA Minnesota District Office award for this same category.

The 2023 national and Minnesota award winners were recognized last week at a luncheon that SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan also spoke and attended.

For more information on National Small Business Week, visit http://www.sba.gov/NSBW.

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. 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 or 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 http://www.sba.gov.