Lt. Governor Becky Skillman will join business leaders from across the state this afternoon to present 18 companies with the Indiana Small Business Development Center Network’s Economic Development through Growth and Entrepreneurship (EDGE) Awards during a Statehouse ceremony.

Sponsored by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s Small Business Development Centers, the awards recognize clients of the agency’s nine regional offices located throughout the state in two categories – emerging and established. Recipients are chosen by their regional centers.

“Indiana’s small business sector is the lifeblood of our economy and we rely on the ideas of hardworking entrepreneurs to spur innovation and create jobs in our state,” said Skillman. “We are proud to recognize these 18 companies who continue to solidify Indiana’s reputation as a prime location for business development.”

Recipients of the award collectively employ 195 full-time associates in Indiana and in total finished 2011 with nearly $6.1 million in sales.

Nearly half of the U.S. private sector workforce is employed by small businesses according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. The administration report says that small businesses account for the majority of net private-sector job creation in the United States over the last 15 years.

The complete list of recipients is below the fold.
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