MADISON – The Catalyst Center recognized business owners and creative thinkers with Entrepreneur of the Year awards on Feb. 28.

The fifth annual entrepreneur awards highlight the ‘best of the best,’ who represent numerous, diverse backgrounds.

“We aim to provide best-in-class coaching, in-demand services and relevant programs to foster the success of small businesses,” Leigh Christian, TechRich Project Manager, said.

“An entrepreneur is an individual who creates a new business, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards,” Catalyst Board of Directors Chairman Kevin Hoey said. “The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services and procedures,”

Nine individuals received awards:

* Caleb Wortham, Caleb’s Cookie Cutters – “2020 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year.” Designed cookie cutters with 3D printing for his brother’s small business, Peaceful Pastries and Sweets Bakery. He now supplies other bakeries.

* Chanda Davis, Chanda Davis Real Estate/Superior School of Real Estate by Chanda – “2020 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year.” Owns real estate school with 2,000-plus students on record and Alabama’s largest female-owned real estate company.

* Lady Vowell Smith, The Snail on the Wall – “2020 Creative Entrepreneur of the Year.” She has formed a large customer base by recommending books in social media platforms, offering thousands of books through her business website.

* Anne Caldwell, Greater Huntsville Humane Society – “2020 Nonprofit Entrepreneur of the Year.” Caldwell has applied innovative programming to increase adoptions, lower length of stays and return rates, along with cutting costs and fundraising.

* Amber Yerkey James, Esq., New Beginnings Family Law P.C. – “2020 Female Entrepreneur of the Year.” Works with clients to not only resolve legal issues but also to plan for life following divorce and other family law situations.

* Kris McGuire, Victory Solutions Inc. – “2020 Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year.” Her real estate business has fueled her mission to educate, empower and help others while building generational wealth.

* Sandra Brazelton, Braz-Tech Inc. – “2020 Entrepreneur of the Year.” She owns (DBA) Advance Innovative Management (AIM) Solutions.

* Jerry ‘J.D.’ White, JD Productions Inc. – “2020 People’s Choice Entrepreneur of the Year.” Received the most votes on AL.com. He is using six years in the entertainment industry to revitalize the field.

* Joanne Randolph, President/CEO, The Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship – “2020 Entrepreneur Champion of the Year.” Has worked with The Catalyst, formerly the Women’s Business Center of North Alabama, since its inception.

For more information, visit catalystcenter.org.