SBA names its Maine Small Business Person of the Year, eight other award winners

File PHOTo / Tim greenway Tyler Frank, president and founder of Garbage to Garden, is shown in a 2014 file photo after being named to the Mainebiz Next List.

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By William Hall

The U.S. Small Business Administration on Thursday announced that its Maine Small Business Person of the Year is Tyler Frank, owner and founder of Garbage to Garden, a composting service headquartered in Portland.

Frank was selected for the award based on the growth of his business, his commitment to environmental sustainability, and support for community organizations through volunteering and donations, the SBA said in a news release.

Frank launched the business in 2012, and in 2014 was named to the Mainebiz Next List of up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

Garbage to Garden works on a subscription basis, hauling away kitchen scraps for use in the company’s composting facilities, then returning the end product to customers. Today, Garbage to Garden serves over 11,000 business and residential customers in southern Maine and the Boston area.

The company has drawn on multiple SBA programs since opening, including SCORE mentors, the ScaleUp program, and SBA guaranteed loan programs.

“Our annual awards are our opportunity to recognize the amazing work being done by Maine’s small businesses, and Garbage to Garden truly stands out,” said Diane Sturgeon, SBA district director for Maine.

“Tyler has invested heavily in his community, his employees, and sustainability, and these investments have clearly paid off with success for his business.”

Also receiving Maine SBA awards for 2022 are:

Home Based Business of the Year: Jane Harrell, ‘cause Digital Marketing, Biddeford
Veteran Owned Small Business of the Year: Brad Nadeau, Stars & Stripes Brewing Co., Freeport
Woman Owned Small Business of the Year: Amanda O’Brien, eighteen twenty wines, Portland
Young Entrepreneur of the Year: James Zuhlke Jr., Zuhlke Tree Service LLC, Greenbush
Minority Owned Small Business of the Year: Dolgormaa Hersom, House of Languages, Portland
Micro-Enterprise of the Year: Alison Thibault, WindHorse Arts, Vinalhaven
Small Business Manufacturer of the Year: Liberty Graphics, Inc., Liberty
Financial Services Champion of the Year: Northern Maine Development Commission.