BY VEENA RAO/GWINNETT NETWORK

redpepper principal Dave McMullen was awarded the 2009 Overall Gwinnett Small Business Person of the Year Award and was also the winner of Gwinnett’s Small Business Person of the Year for the 10 - 99 employee category at the Gwinnett Chamber’s Pinnacle Small Business Awards Luncheon on April 24. Additional Small Business Persons of the Year Awards were presented to Matt Hyatt with Rocket IT for the 1 – 9 employee category and Cynthia Kaye with Logical Choice Technologies for the 100+ employee category. Twenty-two additional small businesses were also awarded Pinnacle Small Business Awards and named to the prestigious “Pinnacle Top 25” for demonstrating extraordinary growth and contributions to the community.

The companies honored at the luncheon were selected from close to 400 nominations and from 50 finalists as Gwinnett’s Top 25 Pinnacle Small Business Award Winners. Global Mall’s Shiv Aggarwal was one of the 50 finalists. State Senator Curt Thompson (D-Fifth district) and Norcross city councilman and member of the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District (CID) board Keith Shewbert were present at the awards luncheon as guests of Aggarwal, as were members of the Indian community media. Aggarwal’s wife Arushi and daughters Vandana and Arati were also present to show appreciation and support of Global Mall’s recognition as a finalist.

The winners were based on steady and above average growth and profitability, growth in number of employees, contributions to the community, overcoming adversity, original entrepreneurship and more, as defined by the Small Business Administration for their statewide and national awards. 
Formerly known as the Small Business Person of the Year Awards, the Pinnacle Small Business Awards Presented by Entaire Global Companies, Inc. are among the Chamber’s most prestigious awards. The celebration recognized both emerging companies as well as companies that have exhibited a substantial history as an established business.

A new category was also added to this year’s Awards to recognize Gwinnett’s non-profit organizations, whose generous and inspiring efforts can be seen and felt throughout Gwinnett. Receiving the first-ever Pinnacle Non-Profit Awards are the Dream House for Medically Fragile Children for the top small non-profit category, Annandale Village for the top mid-size nonprofit category, and Aurora Theatre for the top large non-profit category. The non-profits honored at the luncheon were selected based on board of directors strength; staying power; growth in employees/volunteers and budget; innovation of service; response to adversity; and overall contribution to the community.