About SBAF

The Small Business Awards Foundation, Inc. (SBAF) was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia on December 15, 1997, as a non-stock, non-member, not-for-profit corporation and has been accorded tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The SBAF was founded to promote and educate Virginia’s small businesses and those who advocate and support those small firms. SBAF officers and directors receive no compensation and the Foundation has no paid staff. The SBAF and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are entirely independent of each other, yet they share the same commitment to supporting small businesses.

The Small Business Awards Foundation currently supports one major small business event: The Annual Virginia Small Business Awards Luncheon held in Richmond in May, that honors the recipients of the Richmond District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration small business owner and champion awards. All tax-deductible contributions received are applied to defray the expenses of these events and to keep attendee costs affordable.

2009 SBAF Board of Directors

Mr. James G. Tilley, Chairman
Virginia Highlands SBDC
Abingdon, Virginia

Mr. Joel K. Erb, Vice Chairman
INM United
Richmond, Virginia

Elizabeth Grizzard, Ed.D, Secretary
Emporia, Virginia

Ms. Sylvia B. Thomas, Treasurer
Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council
Richmond, Virginia

Ms. Jennifer Cubitt
Sonabank, N.A.
Richmond, VA

Mrs. Linda D. Decker
The Flory Small Business Center, Inc
Manassas, Virginia

Ms. Debbie Epperson
Longwood University Real Estate Foundation
Farmville, VA

Ms. Rowena Fullinwider
Rowena’s Gourment Foods
Norfolk, Virginia

Mr. William C. Gill
Bank of the Commonwealth
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Mr. Timothy S. Hayes
Second Look Capital
Richmond, Virginia

Small Business Facts

- Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.
- Employ half of all private sector employees.
- Pay 45 percent of total U.S. private payroll.