The Kansas Small Business Development Center announced the 2008 Emerging and Existing Businesses of the Year this week. Each of the eight KSBDC regional centers selected one emerging and one existing business in their region for the award. Sixteen Kansas small businesses will be recognized at the ceremony on March 10 in Topeka. The businesses were selected from nearly 900 businesses that received KSBDC services in 2008.  

"Our consultants selected the businesses based on their evaluation of several criteria for existing and emerging businesses," said Wally Kearns, KSBDC state director. "Some of the areas they evaluate include major accomplishments while establishing and growing the business, obstacles they overcame, profitability and contributions they have made to the communities in which they do business."

During the last two months, the business owners participated in video interviews about their businesses. The videos will be presented at the awards ceremony. The public is invited to attend the ceremony from 3 to 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, at the Dillon House, 404 SW Ninth St. in Topeka. Event details, success stories and photos for each of the business owners are available at http://www.kansas.gov/ksbdc/Success_Stories_&_Impact/index.html.

2008 award recipients and their businesses are listed in the categories below:

Existing:

Eagle Creek Vineyards
Jo Ann Kuhlmann, owner
Olpe

The Furniture Look, Inc.
Karen Dreiling, owner
Hays

Embroidme
Gavin and Kim Unruh, owners
Dodge City

AVON Beauty Center
Elizabeth and George Demas, owners
Overland Park

Howard Pine's Garden Center & Green Houses
Gerald Pine, owner
Lawrence

Acorn Valley Custom Cabinetry
Jim Houston and Bob Greif, owners
Thayer

Morrill Collision Repair, Inc.
Lonnie and Melanie Teeter, owners
Morrill

Service Master by Clean In a Wink
Jerry E. Winkley, owner
Wichita

Emerging:

Pet Sitting Pal
Renee Flott, owner
Emporia

Flower Cottage
Kathy and Robert Kuntz, owners
Quinter

Appraisals of Garden City/Oswalt Appraisals
Alan Oswalt, owner
Garden City

MUSIC HOUSE School of Music
Aaron Sizemore and Katrinka Riggs, owners
Overland Park

Local Burger
Hilary Brown, owner
Lawrence

Oakview Estates Assisted Living
Mark Scales & Jason Lahr, owners
Frontenac

New Boston Creative Group, LLC
Kristin Brighton, Susan Religa, Lisa Sisley, partners
Manhattan

Longford Water Company, LLC
Wava and Kim Kramer, owners/managers
Longford

The Kansas Small Business Development Center Network is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Kansas Department of Commerce. KSBDC is nationally accredited through the Association of Small Business Development Centers by congressional mandate. KSBDC receives funding from and partners with higher education and economic development organizations to provide Kansas entrepreneurs with no-cost business consulting and resources for starting, maintaining and growing their businesses.

The statewide host for the KSBDC is Fort Hays State University. For more information about the KSBDC Network visit www.kansas.gov/ksbdc or call 1-877-625-7232.