HAYS, Kan -- Fifteen small Kansas businesses have been announced as emerging and existing businesses of 2009 by the Kansas Small Business Development Center.

Each of the eight KSBDC regional centers had the opportunity to select one emerging and one existing business in its region for the award. Out of the 2,400 entrepreneurs who received KSBDC services in 2009, seven emerging and eight existing businesses will be recognized at a ceremony at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, at The Dillon House in Topeka.

"The businesses were selected by our consultants after considering several criteria," said Wally Kearns, KSBDC state director. "Some of the areas they evaluate include major accomplishments while establishing and growing the business, obstacles they overcame, and profitability and contributions made to their communities."

Over the last two months, the business owners participated in video interviews, which will be presented at the ceremony. The event is free and open to the public.

The featured speaker is Richard M. Hassur, author of "Pie in the Sky: Adventures of a Pizza Hut Entrepreneur." He was the first franchisee of Pizza Hut when he opened his store in Topeka in 1959. He eventually owned 150 stores in 14 states plus Mexico and Canada. Hassur will be available to sign copies of his book after the ceremony.

Event details, success stories and photos about each business owner are on the Web at www.kansas.gov/ksbdc.

The businesses are listed in alphabetical order with owners and locations.

Emerging Businesses of the Year:

Ewe Specialties LLC and Special Occasions

Louaine Knoll and Sondra Baird

Garden City

Flint Hills Laser Expressions

Rick and Rhonda Robidou

Emporia

Long's Ranch and Pet Supply

Barrett and Stacie Long

Clay Center

Marathon Moving & Delivery, LLC

Roger Lee Ward III and Dana Marie Ward

Overland Park

Sweetlove Farm, LLC

Phil and Sally Holman-Hebert

Oskaloosa

Tallgrass Brewing Company

Jeff Gill

Manhattan

Tischlerei Inc.

Olaf Gergardt

Osborne

Existing Businesses of the Year:

Cannonball Engineering, LLC

Terry and Debbie Schrag

Kingman

Completely Kids

Dana and Roger Long

Great Bend

Custom Tree Care Inc.

Greg Gathers

Topeka

Higher Calling Technologies, LLC

Greg and Suzie York; Mike and Kim Meyer

Parsons

Kraus Electric, LLC

Lee and Elizabeth Kraus

Scranton

Nature's Way Health Food

Velma Diehl and Janice Olson

Garden City

Oliver Electric Construction

Robert and Deidre Oliver

Lawrence

The BBQ Shack

Rick Schoenberger

Paola

The Kansas Small Business Development Center Network is funded in part through a
cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Kansas

Department of Commerce. KSBDC is nationally accredited through the Association of Small Business Development Centers by Congressional mandate. KSBDC receives funding from and partners with higher education and economic development organizations to provide Kansas entrepreneurs with no-cost business consulting and resources for starting, maintaining and growing their businesses. The statewide host of the KSBDC is Fort Hays State University.