Connecticut Small Businesses Earn Recognition

The SBA Connecticut District Office has announced this year’s Connecticut Small Business Week Awardees, as National Small Business Week, to be celebrated May 4-10, 2025, draws closer.

“It is an honor to celebrate Connecticut’s outstanding small business owners, whose accomplishments standout amongst their peers. This years’ award winners embody the grit and determination it takes to succeed in pursuing the American Dream,” said Catherine Marx SBA’s Connecticut District Director. “Entrepreneurs and small businesses are the fabric of our communities, strengthening local economies and creating jobs, all the while contributing to our nation’s economic strength.”

“National Small Business Week honors the risk takers, innovators and job creators that are the backbone of the American economy,” said Peter A. Steele, SBA New England Regional Administrator. “I congratulate the winners in Connecticut for this well-deserved recognition and their role in in fueling prosperity, spurring growth and creating job opportunities across Connecticut and New England.”

2025 Small Business Week Awardees

Small Business Person of the Year

*         Michelle Nicholson, The Flour Girl Bakery (Hebron)

Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Small Business of the Year

*         Gregory Confessore, Cricket Press, Inc. (West Hartford)

Manufacturer of the Year – Connecticut and New England Region

*          Rafey Zaheer, Medzah Industries (Glastonbury)

Microenterprise Business of the Year

*         Matthew Quinn and Steven Potoff, Greenmont Healthcare Products LLC (Manchester)

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

*         Aimee Filippetti, Never Enough Bake Shop (Mystic)

Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year

*          Chris Pacheco, Seacoast Mushrooms (Stonington)  

Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year 

*         Elizabeth Calvanese, Goggin Safety Services LLC (Plantsville)

This year the SBA National Small Business Week event is being planned and sponsored by Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), in a collaboration with the SBA.  

“Connecticut is the land of small business, representing more than 99% of all businesses in the state—employing nearly half the state’s workforce,” said CBIA president and CEO Chris DiPentima. “These businesses are the heartbeat of our economy, with contributions to our state and local communities that cannot be understated. CBIA is proud to partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration to highlight these outstanding small business leaders.”

The Small Business Resource Expo and award ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 8th at Woodwinds, in Branford. To attend, register at https://www.cbia.com/events/sba-awards-resource-expo-2025. 

National Small Business Week will be celebrated May 4-10, 2025, and is slated to feature a two-day virtual summit, community events across the country honoring small businesses, educational sessions featuring key topics such as manufacturing, digital marketing, cybersecurity and cryptocurrency, as well as online business resources and renowned speakers. 

Details on National Small Business Week, the virtual summit, registrations and speakers are featured on www.sba.gov/NSBW  and will be updated as additional information and activities are confirmed.

Local events will be featured on www.sba.gov/events and identifiable by searching with #SmallBusinessWeek.