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Iowa Small Business Development Center Awards

Deb Dalziel Woman Entrepreneur Achievement Award
The Deb Dalziel Woman Entrepreneur Achievement Award is awarded annually to women who have significantly improved or changed their own personal situation, thus having an impact on others around them. The award was established by the Iowa Small Business development Centers to help highlight the accomplishments of women entrepreneurs in Iowa. The purpose of the Deb Dalziel award is not only to honor Dalziel, a long-time advocate of women entrepreneurs, but also to ensure that the groundwork is in place to assure women equal advantages in the business world.

Neal Smith Entrepreneur of the Year Award
In recognition of Neal Smith’s leadership in the creation and building of America’s Small Business Development Center Network, a Founding Fathers Award was given to Chairman Smith by the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) at the ASBDC Silver Anniversary Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland on September 9, 2005. To further honor Chairman Smith, and to highlight the accomplishments of entrepreneurs in Iowa, the Iowa Small Business Development Centers established the Neal Smith Entrepreneur of the Year Award on the occasion of 25th Anniversary.

Other Awards
Iowa SBDC Employee Service Awards
National ASBDC State Star Awards

Celebrating 2010 Iowa SBDC Award Winners!

The 2010 Iowa Small Business Development Center’s annual entrepreneur award winners were presented with their awards during a ceremony at the State Capitol Building on February 23, 2011. Kristen Stephens Sharma, Founder and Owner of Inspired!, Inc., d/b/a East-West School of Integrative Healing Arts and A Massage Oasis, LLC, North Liberty, is the 2010 Deb Dalziel Woman Entrepreneur Achievement Award winner. Emily Starr, President and CEO of StarrMatica Learning Systems, Clinton, is the 2010 Neal Smith Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner. During the ceremony, each award winner was also presented with Certificates of Recognition from the State Senate and House, recognizing them for their hard work and success.

Immediately following the award ceremonies, both award winners and their attending family members were escorted to the Senate Gallery by Iowa SBDC State Director Jim Heckmann and Associate State Director Ellen Nystrom, where all were recognized for their excellence by the Iowa Senate. The award winners were then escorted to the House chamber for pictures with each winner’s local representative. Kristen and Emily were then escorted to Governor Branstad’s office, where he congratulated both women on their achievement and spoke briefly with each of them about their companies.