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They were recognized for their work with the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center Region 10 office, based in the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development.

Bob Madigan, business counselor for MCPED, mentored 679 clients during the last three years and uses his students in his advanced business classes at Macomb Community College to develop marketing plans for several SBTCD clients. Last year, his clients created 139 new jobs. He is from Troy.

Susan Bates, an intake counselor for MCPED, provided information and support to business consultants and worked the Region 10 display table at a number of small business events. Bates facilitates all the seminars offered for Region 10, which covers Macomb and St. Clair counties. Bates also was recognized for promoting the SBTDC classes and maintaining the “eMacomb” electronic newsletter. She is from Mount Clemens.

Linda Geary is a private CPA who volunteers to teach a series of free small-business tax seminars. The classes instruct small-business owners about how to establish a tax structure. She has taught more than 200 clients. Geary also helps recommend new classes to make sure new businesses get a solid start. Geary is from New Baltimore and her business is in Shelby Township.

The awards evaluation committee includes business people who are not directly associated with STBTDC but are familiar with its programs. Madigan, Bates and Geary won in three of only seven Leadership Awards categories.