Event Honors E Day Winners

Merrillville, IN – The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center will celebrate the success of its Entrepreneurial Excellence Award winners from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday October 29 at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza.

The 18th annual E Day marks the entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners as well as individuals who support the small business community.

The 2009 winners include Leigh Morris, lifetime achievement winner; Livemercial, entrepreneurial success; Riah Salon, emerging small business of the year; HDW Commercial Interiors, minority small business person of the year; Rex Richards, small business advocate of the year; Maggie Reister Walters, women in business champion of the year; Andrea Pearman, small business journalist of the year; Legacy Environmental, NWI SBDC client of the year; and Brian Rusin of Peoples Bank and Matt Saltanovitz of The Times Media Co., NWI SBDC champions of the year.

The winner of the small business person of the year award will be announced at the event. Nominees include America’s Nutrition, Lakeside Wealth Management and Security Industries Inc. The luncheon also will feature guest speaker Penny Lewandowski, who is director of Entrepreneurship Development at the Edward Lowe Foundation.

“Our annual E Day showcases the impact that small business owners and champions have on Northwest Indiana,” said Joshua Lybolt, regional director of the NWI SBDC. “We are honored to be able to recognize their accomplishments.”

Tickets are $40 per guest and $55 after October 5. To purchase tickets or for more information, contact the NWI SBDC office at 219-644-3513 or northwest@isbdc.org.

The NWI SBDC offers free assistance for entrepreneurs starting or expanding their businesses. Through one-on-one consulting, the NWI SBDC helps guide small businesses toward their goals by offering referrals, workshops, training opportunities and other essential business tools. For more information, visit www.nwisbdc.org.