PROVIDENCE – The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced the 2020 Rhode Island Small Business Week awardees this week, naming National Marker Company for Rhode Island & New England Small Business Manufacturer.
The company was among a dozen from across the state recognized this year, led by the Rhode Island Small Business Persons of the Year, Harmony Oschefski and Cedar Hwang, owners of the Bodhi Spa in Newport, along with the five New England regional winners and six state-level awardees.
Small Business Week is typically observed in early May, but due to the risk of COVID-19 and state guidelines for social distancing the annual event was postponed.
According to the announcement, National Marker was nominated by Josh Daly of the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center. The Providence Pike business produces safety products including signs, tags, machine and hazmat labels, utility tapes and more. Under president Michael Black, the business was also named as one of Rhode Island’s Best Places to Work by Providence Business News.
“The small business community here in Rhode Island is one of the greatest in the country,” said SBA District Director Mark Hayward. “These businesses have demonstrated a creativity, business acumen, staying power, and success needed to rise to the top of the business world. They have also displayed the intuition and resiliency in this post-COVID world to pivot their business plans and find new and inventive ways to keep their products and services relevant and marketable. These men and women are the true embodiment of entrepreneurship and and the Rhode Island motto; Hope.”
