Small Business Week Award Winners Are Honored The owner of a Pennsylvania machine tool company was recognized as SBA’s Small Business Person of the Year at ceremonies during Small Business Week in Washington. Eric A. Hoover of Conneaut Lake, PA, founded Excalibur Machine Co. in 1988. Excalibur provides original equipment manufacturing, machining and fabricating services for major manufacturing companies. The company has posted sales growth of more than 350% over the past five years. Hoover has launched three other businesses: Camelot Consolidated, a sales organization; Blade Transport, a trucking firm and Lancelot Construction, a construction firm. Other SBA awards: Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: Dr. Jalaiah Unnam, president of Analytical Services & Materials Inc. of Hampton, VA; Small Business Subcontractor of the Year: Werner Kummerle, president of Metalex Manufacturing Inc. of Cincinnati; Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence, recognizing large prime contractors that have excelled in their utilization of small businesses as suppliers and subcontractors: William H. Swanson, chairman and CEO, Raytheon Co. of Waltham, MA (Manufacturing Category); John Gillespie, president of the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center of Houston (Research & Development Category); Dr. Ron Townsend, president and CEO of Oak Ridge Associated Universities of Oak Ridge, TN (Services Category); and Leonard K. Kaae, senior vice president and general manager of Black Construction Corp. of GMF, Guam (Construction Category). Gold Star Award, recognizing the exemplary performance of federal agencies and their personnel who carry out the aggressive goals and strategic initiatives that help ensure a role for small business in the federal marketplace: Gregory Mayberry, acting director of the Department of State Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; Valerie T. Hayes, acting director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; Corenthis B. Kelly, director of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Small Business and Civil Rights. Frances Perkins Vanguard Award, honoring government and industry for providing opportunities for women-owned small businesses: Kevin Boshears, director of the Department of Homeland Security OSDBU; Valerie T. Hayes, acting director of the OSDBU at HUD; Ken Compton, project manager, Georgia Power; Joseph F. Myers, vice president, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.