Holy Donut owner honored by SBA
Photo / Tim Greenway
Leigh Kellis, founder of the Holy Donut in Portland, is this year's recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration's "Maine Small Business Person of the Year" award.
Leigh Kellis, founder of The Holy Donut in Portland, has been selected as U.S. Small Business Administration’s Maine Small Business Person of the Year.
The award is among those announced this week by the SBA’s Maine District Office in its annual recognition of outstanding small business owners throughout the state.
The Holy Donut is a donut shop specializing in potato-based donuts, with two locations in Portland and one in Scarborough. The business also sells its donuts wholesale to Whole Foods and Coffee by Design. Kellis, who was a 2015 Mainebiz Next Award honoree, was selected for this award based on the continued growth of her business and the contributions she has made to the local community, the SBA stated in its release announcing the winners.
“Small Business Week provides SBA with the opportunity to celebrate the achievements and successes of a number of deserving small business owners,” said SBA’s Maine District Director, Amy K. Bassett. “The story of Leigh Kellis and The Holy Donut perfectly illustrates the entrepreneurial spirit and tenacity necessary to start and grow a thriving business in Maine.”
Kellis will compete with the nation’s top small businesses for the honor of National Small Business Person of the Year during the SBA’s National Small Business Week celebration, April 30-May 1.
The winner will be selected from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam. The announcement will be made during an event in Washington, D.C., on May 1.
Other award winners are:
- Maine and New England Veteran Owned Small Business of the Year: Joshua Broder, Tilson Technology Management LLC of Portland
- Maine Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Business of the Year: Alison and Scott Snell, Wilson’s on Moosehead Lake of Big Moose Township
- Maine Small Business Exporter of the Year: James Banfield, Terra Speakers of Brunswick
- Maine Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: Pamela Laskey, Maine Foodie Tours of Portland
- Maine Young Entrepreneurs of the Year: Devin McNeill and Charles Friedman, Flowfold of Scarborough
- Maine Home-Based Business of the Year: Justin and Alisa Carney, Afterlife Affections LLC of Washburn
- Maine Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year: Naima Abdirhmon, ARWO Learning Center LLC of Portland
- Maine Micro-Enterprise of the Year: Kate Beever, Maine Music & Health LLC of Saco
- Maine Financial Services Champion of the Year: Ann Marie Swenson, People’s United Bank.
The SBA’s Maine District Office will recognize Ms. Kellis and the other 2017 Maine Small Business Award recipients May 15 reception and awards presentation at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport.
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