SBA Miss. District Office Honored Top Entrepreneurs, Champion Winners

Pictured from left is: Gary K. Reed, SBA MS Deputy District Director; Regina M. Austin, FDIC, Financial Services Champion; Marissa C. Simms, Royal Bleau Boutique, Young Entrepreneur Champion; Bhupender “Bruce” Patel, Fusion Hospitality, MS Small Business Person of the Year; Tania G. Bayne, Shanti Yoga and Counseling, Women in Business Champion; Fred L. Boykin, Military Veterans Association, Veteran Small Business Champion; and Janita R. Stewart, SBA MS District Director.

JACKSON, Miss. (Press Release) -– The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Mississippi District Office recognized its Small Business Person of the Year and four Small Business Champion award winners from around the state. The event held July 24 at the BancorpSouth Conference Center in Tupelo highlighted the outstanding achievements of the award winners while underscoring the economic impact of entrepreneurship in Mississippi.

Bhupender “Bruce” Patel, owner of Fusion Hospitality and several hotels in the Tupelo area, was honored as the SBA 2014 Mississippi Small Business Person of the Year. Patel’s facilities sustained heavy damage during the tornadoes that ravaged the area in April. He and others offered jobs to those in the area that suddenly were unemployed due to the disaster.

“We are proud of our Mississippi winners for 2014,” Janita R. Stewart, SBA district director in Mississippi said. “And we were happy to be here in Tupelo to celebrate Patel’s and all of our winners’ accomplishments and contributions.”

Mabel Murphree of Congressman Alan Nunnelee’s Office and Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton were in attendance and helped in providing the winners their award.

For more information on the award ceremony and/or to nominate someone for a 2015 SBA award, please contact Bridget Johnson-Fells at 228-863-4449, ext. 225 or bridget.johnson@sba.gov.