Ken Allman Recognized as West Virginia’s Small-Business Person of the Year
Hinton, WV (PRWEB) April 18, 2014 -- Ken Allman, owner and CEO of PracticeLink.com and MountainPlex Properties, has been recognized as West Virginia’s Small-Business Person of the Year. This award, whose recipient is chosen by the West Virginia District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration, recognizes small businesses for their local and national contributions and economic impact.
Allman will be recognized at the Small Business Week Awards Celebration on Thursday, May 29, at the West Virginia University Erickson Alumni Center during the Teaming to Win Conference. Allman will also be recognized during National Small Business Week, May 12-16, in Washington, D.C. There he will gather with recipients from 49 other states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, and the National Small-Business Person of the Year will be announced.
“Every year since 1963, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners and others … through National Small Business Week,” said Judy McCauley, district director of the West Virginia District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Criteria used to select award winners include businesses’ staying power, employee growth, sales, innovativeness and community contributions.
In 1994, Allman founded PracticeLink.com as an innovative, cost-effective way to help hospitals and health systems recruit the physicians they need in the communities they serve. PracticeLink.com is now used by recruiters representing more than 5,000 health care facilities nationwide, and more than 20,000 physicians and advanced practitioners use PracticeLink.com each year in their search for a new job.
As Allman grew PracticeLink.com into the most widely used online physician recruitment resource in the country, he began looking for ways to give back to his hometown, Hinton, W.Va, which is located on the banks of the southern end of the New River Gorge. Allman chose to headquarter PracticeLink.com in the historic railroad town and, in doing so, committed to improving the town’s quality of life.
To meet the needs of PracticeLink employees and guests, as well as community visitors and residents, Allman and his team established MountainPlex Properties. Under the MountainPlex umbrella, Allman has founded The Market, a premium sandwich shop and upscale-gift store; The Guest House Inn, a 5-star bed and breakfast; The Ritz Theatre Cinema & Performing Arts, a restored 1920s venue that hosts movies, meetings, live performances and special events, and a number of other local gems. These properties draw tourists to visit the downtown Hinton National Historic District, and have helped provide more than 50 jobs in this naturally scenic community of 2,800.
“I’m incredibly honored to be receiving the SBA award for West Virginia,” said Allman. “I would like to thank PracticeLink’s clients as well as PracticeLink and MountainPlex team members, my family and the Hinton community for their continued support of these companies.”
Allman and McCauley will be available for interviews at noon Monday, April 21, at the PracticeLink office, located at 415 Second Ave. in downtown Hinton.
Laura Hammond, PracticeLink, http://www.PracticeLink.com, +1 502-272-3836, [email protected]
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