The U.S. Small Business Administration will honor the participating companies in its Emerging 200 Initiative (e200) at a graduation ceremony in Atlanta on January 6th. 

What: The U.S. Small Business Administration will honor the participating companies
in its Emerging 200 Initiative (e200) at a graduation ceremony in Atlanta on January 6th. Earlier
this year the SBA’s e200 program identified 200 inner-city businesses across the nation that
demonstrated a high potential for growth. It then provided, at no cost, a six-month course of indepth
business education for the firms that focused on areas such as growth management, market
development and strategic planning.

Atlanta was one of 10 e200 participating cities. Others included Albuquerque, Baltimore, Boston,
Chicago, Des Moines, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, and Philadelphia.

When: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Peachtree Center- 231 Peachtree Street N.E., IKON Room, 2nd Floor, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Take “Mall at Peachtree Center” entrance at the back of outdoor, central Plaza.

Who: Keynote speaker will be Bill Manger, head of SBA Field Operations. Other speakers include
Terri Denison, SBA Georgia District Director; Nuby Fowler, SBA Southeast Regional Administrator; and Peggy McCormick, President, Atlanta Development Authority.

The local initiative has focused on small companies in Atlanta’s inner city that have the potential
for rapid expansion and job creation. Companies that were part of the initiative were those with at
least $400,000 in annual revenue and an operational track record of three years or more.
The graduation will have news about the renewal of e200 for Atlanta in 2009, along with
the addition of five new cities for the program.

The local e200 graduate companies are:
A Budget Lock & Door, Muriel Montia, CFO
Allen Professional Graphics Group, Monica Allen, President
Blue Sombrero, Peter Santora, Co-Founder
C.J. Hearne Construction Company, Christine Hearne, Owner
HTS Enterprises, Garry Harris, President/CEO
Jackson’s Dental Center, Montina G. Jackson, CEO
Matrix 3D, Charles Bythwood, Principal
Om & Hecho, LLP, Suna Om, General Partner
Professional Document Services, Derrick Black, President
Rainey Apparel Manufacturing, Russell Rainey, President
Smokymountainstone.com, Michelle Uchiyama, President
Sweet Auburn Bread Company, Sonya Jones, Owner/CEO
The Royster Group, Ken Taunton, Managing Director

SBA’s participation in this co-sponsorship is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services of any cosponsor or other entity. All SBA programs, services and co-sponsored activities are extended to the public on a ondiscriminatory basis. Cosponsorship authorization #08-0405-50.

Release Date: Immediate
Contact: Jim Hightower (404) -331-0100, ext. 215
Release Number: 08-48
email address: james.hightower@sba.gov.