The Lone Star College System Small Business Development Center Advisory Council has nominated 18 businesses within the Greater Houston area for the 27^th annual Small Business of the Year awards. Included in the nominations are three Woodlands area businesses: BOI Consulting LLC, Karlins Ramey & Tompkins LLC and The Woodlands Learning Rx.

"There are many superb small businesses in the Lone Star College System area," said Glea Ramey, chairperson of the council's nomination committee. "It really made it hard on the committee to select 18 finalists, but we feel confident the companies chosen epitomize what the award represents."

Members of the LSCS SBDC Advisory Council recognize small businesses that make an impact in their local communities and economy each year, according to a press release. Nominees were gathered from the community and 18 finalists were selected, three finalists from each of the six college service areas. Nominees were chosen based on leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, business growth and contribution to the community, the release states.

One of the three finalists for the LSC-Montgomery service area, The Woodlands Learning Rx, opened in 2008, co-owner Kim Bellini said.

"We were really honored to receive this nomination, because our background is not in business," Bellini said. "We worked with the [SMDC] in 2007 [and] 2008 when we were thinking about opening. We were two teachers with no experience, and everyone was wondering how we were going to do this, and now we're being nominated for small business of the year."

Opened with her mother Beth Buzbee, both former teachers, Bellini said The Woodlands Learning Rx focuses on one-on-one brain training, doing for the brain what a personal trainer does for the body.

"I think [we were nominated] because we're providing a service to the community," Bellini said. "We're changing lives. We see people who were failing who are now B students. We see people who had little hope of going to college now in college with a 3.0 grade point average."

The other two finalists from the region, Karlins Ramey & Tompkins, and BOI Consulting, are both financial consulting firms in The Woodlands.

"We are very honored to be named as a finalist for the SBDC Small Business of the Year award," noted Mike Karlins, CPA of Karlins Ramey & Tompkins, LLC. "I am so proud of our team who consistently does a tremendous job for our clients. We strive to earn a vote of confidence from our clients and the community organizations that we support."

The 18 finalists will be recognized at a luncheon Oct. 16. The winner from each of the six college service areas will then be recognized at the 27^th annual Small Business of the Year awards banquet Nov. 14 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center.

For more information on the Lone Star College System's Small Business Development Center, visit www.lonestar.sbdcnetwork.net.