Top entrepreneurs from around the country will come together to be recognized for their accomplishments during the National Small Business Week celebration, May 17-23, 2009, in Washington, D.C. The National Small Business Person of the Year will also be named at a dinner on May 19.

The three-day event at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Conference Center in the nation’s capital will highlight business owners from 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, whose business achievements have contributed much to the economic well-being of their families, their employees, their communities and the nation. Awards also will be presented for notable achievements in disaster recovery, government procurement, small business advocacy, and to top-performing SBA resource and lending partners.

Small Business Week will also feature a series of forums that are open to the public and developed to help entrepreneurs with real-world issues that impact their business, including innovation and technology, dealing with the challenges of a tough economy, and maximizing social media. There will be a Town Hall session to discuss business strategies in a down economy.

Events during Small Business Week can be viewed virtually through SBA’s free, live webcasting accessible online at http://www.NationalSmallBusinessWeek.com/.

Visit www.NationalSmallBusinessWeek.com for the latest schedule.