Arlington Partners with State to Host 2022 SWaMmy Honors

Published on May 24, 2022

Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch small business assistance network and the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (VA SBSD) will co-host the 2022 SWaMmy Honors, honoring small, women and minority-owned businesses in Arlington and throughout the Commonwealth. The event will be held Wednesday, May 25 at 11:00 a.m. in Richmond and live-streamed.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the small business landscape, and businesses all over the Commonwealth, particularly our small businesses, had to pivot and reimagine themselves to be successful,” said Tara Palacios, director of Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch. “We are so proud to see so many innovative small businesses who really got creative with their strategies to allow them to stabilize and thrive.”

The 2022 SWaMmy Honors is a celebration of Virginia’s small businesses and recognizes the resiliency of small businesses as they build back the economy after COVID-19. This year’s event will honor 10 SWaM businesses from around the Commonwealth of Virginia either as a Legacy business (which means they have been in business at least 20 years and managed to survive the pandemic) or as a Community Impact business (which means they have contributed to their community in positive ways during the pandemic).

“We are so happy to continue our partnership with Arlington Economic Development in recognizing Virginia’s small businesses with the SWaMmy Honors event,” says Kathryn Dolan, Director of Business Development and Outreach Services, Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity.

The SWaMmy Honors began in 2020 as a partnership between Arlington County and VA SBSD as part of the County’s equity and inclusion efforts. The program has quickly grown to a statewide celebration. Nearly 200 small businesses throughout the Commonwealth have applied for this year’s SWaMmy Honors.