Michigan Celebrates Small Business - 2020 Gala Celebration

The 16th Annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business Awards Gala was held virtually on Tuesday, July 28 at 6:00 p.m. Watch Now!

Michigan Celebrates Small Business (MCSB) remains on the forefront of championing small business and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in Michigan. The MCSB serves as a catalyst for entrepreneurial culture as well as inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. The mission of MCSB is to honor and recognize Michigan’s small business people and those champions and advocates that support them.

MCSB Awardee Interviews

Michigan Business Network · Michigan Celebrates Small Business 2020 Nominees

In a lead-up to the 2020 Michigan Celebrates Small Business Gala Celebration, MBN's Jeffrey Mosher spoke with several winning companies from this cycle.

A full list of the 2020 MCSB awardees can be found on the MCSB website at:
https://michigancelebrates.org/2020-award-winners/

How It Began

In 2004, Six statewide leaders (now identified as Founders) met to discuss how to recognize, celebrate and cultivate Michigan’s small businesses. The six organizations and their original respective leaders at that time period included:

Michigan Business Network (MBN) – Chris Holman
Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC) – Carol Lopucki
Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Penny Stump
Small Business Administration (SBA), Michigan District Office – Richard Temkin
Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) – Rob Fowler
Edward Lowe Foundation – Mark Lange

The leaders decided to bring together the individual small business awards program of their organizations under one robust statewide awards program, Michigan Celebrates Small Business (MCSB). Since inception the intent has been that this program belongs to the state of Michigan, no individual entity. The Founders of MCSB recognized a need for the program to place emphasis on recognition of growth companies. After rigorous brainstorming they identified that an award would be initiated called the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, making the Edward Lowe Foundation the administrator of this component of the MCSB program, adding the foundation as an integral originator of MCSB. (provided by MCSB)