ATLANTA – Michael Williams, president of Making Projects Work, was named metro Atlanta's 2007 Small Business Person of the Year today at the Annual Small Business Person of the Year Awards.

The event, which for 21 years has honored one outstanding small businessperson every year for their contributions to Atlanta's civic and business community, is co-hosted by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Atlanta Business Chronicle .

“Michael was chosen because he exemplifies the core values that the committee was looking for in a successful small business owner – innovation, integrity, and service to community,” said Helene Lollis, chair of the Chamber's Small to Mid-Size Business Council and president of Pathbuilders, Inc. “He has weathered the storms, he is resilient and he is a success.”

“Even though Making Projects Work is a small company, it is doing big things for the Atlanta region,” Lollis continued. “So as we celebrate 21 years of the Small Business Person of the Year Awards and congratulate Michael and the other finalists, we want to remind the community that small businesses are the backbone of Atlanta's economy.”

Small businesses are a critical sector. Of the more than 130,000 total businesses in metro Atlanta, nearly 95 percent employ fewer than 50 people.

Founded 10 years ago, Making Projects Work (MPW) is a program/project management consulting firm formed to offer a structured project management approach to the planning and implementation of complex projects. Michael Williams said the hands-on approach and industry-related experience of MPW executives is a benefit to clients during the planning and implementation of time-and budget-sensitive projects. Williams adds that, developing personal relationships with clients and their teams, pushing forward the “go the extra mile” attitude and creating his company to be “a team you can count on” have made success happen.

One of MPW's biggest and most challenging projects was to work on a new $500 million terminal development at Boston Logon International Airport for Delta Air Lines. This huge undertaking, which opened in March 2005, was successfully completed one month ahead of schedule and on budget.

Since this assignment, MPW has been focused on leveraging the success of the project and securing new business primarily in the metro Atlanta area. The goal is being achieved starting with the complete renovation of the Delta ticket lobby at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and now the involvement in the new $1 billion International Terminal at the airport.

Other finalists for the 2007 Small Business Person of the Year Award were:

• Andy Briggs, President, Pro Power Solutions
• Matt Clouser, President, Active Production and Design
• Sacha Taylor, Founder, Nannies + More
• Mike Trotter, President, Trotter & Company

To qualify, nominees were required to be a primary owner or a major shareholder of a business that has been locally established for at least three years with gross annual revenues not exceeding $40 million and with fewer than 100 employees. They were also required to be a member in good standing of the Chamber and an active member of the community.

This year's sponsors included AirTran Airways, Bank of America, AT&T, WABE-FM 90.1, Active Production & Design, IBM , Exact Target and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

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The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce – with our 4,000 member companies that collectively employ more than 700,000 workers – is a catalyst for a vibrant metro region. Over the last 140 years, the Chamber has been bringing the region’s leaders together to tackle the issues that matter most to the business community: quality jobs and quality of life.

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