Aurora receives Small Business Award at Formal State Recognition Celebration

Selected from among 3.7 million small companies in California

May 26,2009

Sacramento, CA –A crowd of 500 business leaders, legislators, corporate partners, and small business dignitaries applauded as Aurora Enterprises was honored as “California Small Business of the Year” for District # 53. Philip de Souza received this special recognition from Assembly Member Ted Lieu to applaud a single district-based small business for exemplifying the contributions of California’s 3.7 million small business owners to the California economy.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who delivered the keynote address said “There are more than 3.5 million small businesses in our state and you employ more than half of our workforce and that is a staggering amount. And you produce more patents than any other business sector.“

The award was announced on May 26th at the annual California Small Business Day in Sacramento. Scores of legislators joined in chorus to salute the spirit of entrepreneurship among California’s small business owners and operators throughout the day-long event.

“We are honored to have been selected for this award and it is a tribute to our employees, customers, and community,” said de Souza.

“This is a special event when government, businesses, associations and community come together to honor the small business contributions of innovation, job creation and economic growth to the State of California,” said Betty Jo Toccoli, President of the California Small Business Association, on behalf of the two dozen small business organizations hosting the event.

Small businesses serve as the primary economic engine that drives the state’s economy. Over one-half of Californians employed in the private sector work for a small business. The state’s small firms produce more new jobs, more inventions, and more patents, than any other size company in California or any other state in the nation.