RHINEBECK, NY (June 7, 2016)—The New York Small Business Development Center’s annual award event recognizes and honors the life-changing work of innovative and inspiring entrepreneurs who collectively represent the largest employer group of 380,000-plus small businesses—the backbone of the economic engine in New York State.

Topical BioMedics, Inc was one of nine companies selected from every region in the state, and honored as the Biomedical Company of the Year, as part of Mid-Hudson SBDC.

Lou and Aurora Paradise needed some financial assistance early in their business, and found a dedicated partner in Al Griggs at SBDC in the Mid-Hudson center, who was instrumental in getting a loan from the SBA. When it was time for business expansion financing, the Mid-Hudson center was there again for assistance. Now in their 22nd year of operations, sales are up 30 percent over 2015 and the company is poised for accelerated growth in the months ahead.

“Our SBDC business advisor, Al Griggs, has been a major part of our business growth since the beginning. We appreciate and are grateful to the entire staff at the SBDC, and look forward to working with them in the future,” said Lou and Aurora.

In celebration of the great and inspiring achievements of their fellow entrepreneurs and small business owners, Mr. and Mrs. Paradise donated 200 bags with tubes of Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream to their fellow entrepreneurs and SBDC conference attendees, to thank them for their diligent efforts, enthusiasm and passion for all they do to make the world a better place.

Says Nancy L. Zimpher, Chancellor of the State University of New York, “The State University of New York is especially proud of our work with the Small Business Development Centers because we fully understand the necessity of successful small businesses to the health of our economy and communities—that they are the backbone of the economic vibrancy, and shape and influence the quality of life in every region in the state.”

At this year’s gala event, nine awards were presented in the following entrepreneurial categories: Exporter of the Year, Growth Company of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Minority Entrepreneur of the Year, Procurement Entrepreneur of the Year, Technology Entrepreneur of the Year, Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year, Woman Entrepreneur of the Year—and Topical BioMedics, Inc award, Biomedical Company of the year.

SBDC chooses companies from a number of standard categories including: minority, veteran and woman-owned businesses and manufacturing, growth, etc.), and selects what they deem as the most outstanding companies in those categories each year. The biomedical company of the year is one of the specialized award categories, presented for an outstanding company from a specialized field that has done well with SBDC assistance.

The process to select award winners involves the SBDC asking advisors and directors at New York State’s regional centers and special project coordinators to nominate business owners they feel deserve recognition as an outstanding New York-state small business/entrepreneur. The SBDC has a committee at the Central Office (HQ) that reviews the nominations and selects the award winners.

Topical BioMedics, Inc was one of the only companies in the biomedical category nominated this year, though SBDC has worked with many biomedical companies over the years.

The SBDC has been giving out Entrepreneur of the Year awards to recognize NYS small businesses that have been successful with SBDC assistance since 1992.

Visit topricin.com for more information.