FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 15, 2022
NSBA Names Mark Ware a Finalist for Advocate of the Year Award
Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Mark Ware, of Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island, Michigan was recognized as a finalist for the National Small Business Association’s 2022 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award. The honor recognizes small-business owners who go above and beyond in advocating for policies to improve America’s small-business community.
“Mark Ware has a passion for small business and helping people. Not only did he usher his resort through the pandemic—something many in his industry were unable to do—he increased his advocacy efforts and worked tirelessly to expand opportunities for other small businesses,” stated NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken. “Mark has utilized his business to spread awareness of the challenges facing small businesses in his industry and has taken advantage of every opportunity to educate lawmakers and candidates on small business.”
Ware’s business acumen allowed Mission Point Resort to experience revenue and employment growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, bolstering Mackinac’s local economy. An active member of NSBA affiliate the Small Business Association of Michigan, Ware has been an advocate for small business staffing issues in rural communities and is also working with federal lawmakers on streamlining the H2B visa process.
“Mark has successfully blended his business and his advocacy work—and it’s proved to be of great benefit to all small businesses,” stated NSBA Board Chair Mike Stanek of Hunt Imaging, LLC in Berea, Ohio. “His dedication to small-business advocacy at every turn makes him an outstanding advocate.”
In addition to honoring Ware, NSBA also recognized ML Mackey of Beacon Interactive Systems in Waltham, Massachusetts as the overall award winner and finalists: Maureen Bakewell Chamberlin, of Embassy Global, LLC in Hamburg, New York; Jill Castilla of Citizens Bank of Edmond in Edmond, Oklahoma; and Niesha Wolfe of The Gingham Café in Clarksville, Tennessee. NSBA also awarded Kelly Willenberg of Greenville, South Carolina as its Rising Star.
Celebrating 85 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.nsba.biz or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate.
Contact | Molly Day | 202-552-2904 | mday@nsba.biz
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