Chicago IT Firm Named National Minority Small Business of the Year at MED Week 2008...

Chicago IT Firm Named National Minority Small Business of the Year at MED Week
2008 Conference

New York Firm, EPA Director Also Honored, International Trade Workshop
Featured at MED Week

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- George Burciaga, a 34-year old
Latino entrepreneur and president of smarTECHS.net, Inc., was named today as
Minority Small Business Person of the Year during the 26th Anniversary of the
National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week conference in Washington,
D.C., announced U.S. Small Business Administration's Deputy Administrator
Jovita Carranza.

The award-winning, Chicago-based IT firm has been recognized by Inc. Magazine
as one of the fastest growing tech firms in the U.S. in 2007 and 2008 and tied
for second runner-up of the SBA's 2008 National Small Business Person of the
Year award during National Small Business Week in April.

Also recognized by SBA Deputy Administrator Carranza was Joan Yang, president
of Rand & Jones Enterprises Company, Inc. of Buffalo, N.Y. Ms. Yang was the
recipient of the 8(a) Graduate Firm of the Year Award.
Jeanette L. Brown, Director for the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency received the
Administrator's Leadership Award for her tireless efforts and unwavering
commitment on behalf of the nation's minority small business community.

"This is my second MED Week celebration since joining the SBA, and I'm honored
to be part of this important event and to be surrounded by these extraordinary
individuals and business leaders who have made significant contributions to
our nation's economy and small business community," said SBA Deputy
Administrator Carranza. "It is my hope that George and Joan and all small
business owners apply the information on small business benefits of
international trade and free-trade agreements to reach new heights and expand
into global markets. I offer my sincere congratulations to all of the
winners."

This morning's award presentation capped off a three-day celebration and a
week-long recognition of minority entrepreneurship under this year's MED Week
theme, "The Power of Strategic Alliances in the Global Economy." MED Week is
an annual event co-hosted by the Minority Business Development Agency of the
U.S. Department of Commerce and the SBA. This afternoon will feature a joint
SBA/MBDA international trade workshop, which will highlight the benefits to
small businesses of free trade agreements.

In a proclamation this year, President George W. Bush urged all Americans to
join together in honoring minority entrepreneurs across the country in
appropriate observances.

This year's MED Week event featured other international trade forums including
"Managing Global Strategic Relationships" and "Free Trade in the Global
Economy" sessions, a White House Reception for award winners, a MED Week
welcome reception, a business expo and trade show and a Meet Your White House
breakfast with keynote address by Ambassador Susan C. Schwab, the U.S. Trade
Representative. This afternoon's session also includes a Business-to-Business
linkage forum where small businesses are paired with government agencies and
private-sector companies to discuss potential contracting opportunities. MED
Week will conclude with a closing awards ceremony gala this evening.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON THE WINNERS

National Minority Small Business Person of the Year
George Burciaga, President, smarTECHS.net
Burciaga, who sold gum on the streets of Chicago's tough Pilsen neighborhood
when he was 7 years old, started his one-man IT company, smarTECHS.net in 1998
in his two-bedroom apartment at age 23.

The IT firm started out offering custom full technology life-cycle solutions
to investment banking and beverage companies. By 2002 the business had
expanded to include IT services in the public sector, including the cities of
Chicago and New Orleans. The company recorded revenues of $2.6 million in
2006 and approximately $8.8 million in contracts for 2008 and boasts thirteen
employees.

National 8(a) Graduate of the Year

Joan Yang, President, Rand & Jones Enterprises Company, Inc.
R&J is a HUBZone-certified, woman-owned, small and disadvantaged full-service
general construction firm and building materials supplier founded in 1985 by
its CEO, Joan Yang. Yang is a graduate of SBA's 8(a) Business Development
program -- a business development program that provides management and
technical assistance, and assistance in identifying federal contracting
opportunities to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses. She has
built R&J into a $15 million company.

R&J has completed more than $70 million in construction projects, has expanded
its portfolio to include real estate acquisition & development and is
considered the contractor of choice for many local and federal agencies.

Administrator's Leadership Award

Jeanette L. Brown, Director for the
Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency

As the OSDBU Director, Brown is responsible for ensuring that small,
disadvantaged and women-owned businesses receive their fair share of
contracting opportunities. Her office develops policies to aid minority and
women-owned firms with doing business with the EPA. Formerly a director of
the SBA's 8(a) Business Development program, Brown currently is responsible
for internal training programs that will enhance the capabilities of
socioeconomic firms and help them become more competitive and viable in the
EPA procurement arena.

For more information visit the Web site at www.medweek.gov or to view the list
of the 10 Regional Minority Small Business Persons of the Year Award
recipients, visit SBA's Web page at www.sba.gov/medweek2008/index.html .

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

Tiffani Clements of U.S. Small Business Administration, +1-202-401-0035