MERRILLVILLE – The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center has honored 12 people who have made an impact on the region at its annual Entrepreneurial Excellence Award luncheon.

            Small Business of the Year was presented to Rick Rondinelli of In Touch Pharmaceutical of Valparaiso. His company, started in 2004, provides premeasured and individual doses of prescriptions.

            Other finalists were Michael E. Dolder of American Industrial Machinery of Merrillville, and Mark Chamberlain and Tim Rice, partners in Lakeside Wealth Management in Chesterton.

            SBDC’s Lifetime Achievement award was given to Cliff Fleming, the developer of The Village in Burns Harbor, the first green certified neighborhood in the nation.

            Also recognized was Tim Gropp, executive director of the Greater LaPorte Economic Development Corp., as Small Business Advocate; Denna Fyock of Aberdeen Manor/Affairs to Remember Inc., of Valparaiso, Entrepreneurial Success Award; Tracy and Jeffry Freese of HMS Midwest, Chesterton, SBDC Client of the Year; Rick A. Richards, editor of Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly, Small Business Journalist of the Year; Twila Kaye Heinselman, of Chicago Gift Basket Co. and Twila Kaye Designs, Women in Business Champion of the Year; and Bridget Harrison, Innovations in Learning LLC of Hobart, Small Business Person of the Year.