A local banker and a local journalist have earned awards from the Seattle District and Regional Offices of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Craig Chance received the SBA Region X Advocate of the Year Award, and Steve Brown received the SBA Region X Journalist of the Year Award. Both Chance and Brown were selected for these awards from a field of candidates in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Joann Francis, SBA Regional Administrator, presented the awards to Chance and Brown at last week’s Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce Spotlight on Business awards luncheon at the Sheraton Tacoma Hotel in downtown Tacoma.

“I am most proud of these individuals for their achievements as small business advocates,” Francis said. “They have been extraordinary champions of small business in their communities.”

Chance, vice president of commercial and SBA Loans at Columbia Bank in Tacoma, won the Financial Services Advocate of the Year Award for work in creating financing opportunities for new and emerging small businesses.

Brown, editor for the Tacoma Daily Index, won the Small Business Journalist of the Year Award for his focus on economic development and small business issues in his paper.

“I’m both pleased and honored to receive this acknowledgement of our coverage of business issues in the greater Tacoma area,” Brown said. “Tacoma is an exciting place to be right now for small business development, and the SBA and SCORE play an integral role in creating a healthy entrepreneurial climate.”

“We recognize Craig and Steve’s outstanding advocacy efforts on behalf of small businesses in the South Sound area,” said Bob Meredith, Seattle district director. Meredith noted the two winners were judged on their advocacy contribution to the small business community.