Michigan’s small business community is the engine that will stitch together the state’s crumbled economy.

That philosophy was prevalent Thursday night at the Michigan Celebrates Small Business event, where several Ann Arbor area businesses were identified as catalysts in the state's economic revitalization.

The companies received various honors at the event, which was organized by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the Small Business Association of Michigan, the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center and the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

“You all are vestige, the hope, the spark of the new Michigan economy,”  Gov. Jennifer Granholm said.

Carrie Hensel, CEO of Ann Arbor-based Inner Circle Media, and Debra Power, president of Ann Arbor-based Power Marketing and Research, received the Women In Business Champions award. They jointly launched Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw, which seeks to boost women business leaders.

"A lot of people are encouraged to start new companies, and they’re given a lot of support to do so but once you’re beyond five years, as a women business owner you kind of don’t get that support," Hensel said. "Many of us were informally already talking to each other. So we decided could we create an organization where we had these really unique events where women could talk about business issues together and work stuff out."

Local radio icon Lucy Ann Lance received the Small Business Journalist of the Year award. She co-founded Lance & Erskine Communications LLC in early 2009 with business partner and radio personality Dean Erskine. They air the "Lucy Ann Lance Business Insider" on 1290 WLBY-AM from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday and the "Lucy Ann Lance Show" from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

On the show, Lance regularly features local businesses and discusses issues that affect the local economy.

"It's easy to champion these companies because they work so hard doing what they do and they deserve the recognition they're receiving because they are the spirit of our community," Lance said. "They're what drives our economy, and we all should celebrate that."

Stewart Beal, president of Beal Inc., was named Michigan and Midwest Region Young Entrepreneur of the Year. The award comes as Beal is in the midst of a legal tussle with the city of Ypsilanti over his handling of the aftermath of a fire that badly destroyed the historic Thompson Block structure in downtown Ypsilanti last fall.

But the fire overshadowed the fact that Beal's renovation, demolition and property management company is in the midst of a hiring surge. The firm purchased 26 properties in 2009, including 24 in Ypsilanti, and at one point was employing about 110 workers last year.

The award, Beal told AnnArbor.com last month, “is a validation of everything I’m doing. ... I still had a good and successful year.”

Another eight Ann Arbor area companies were among the list of the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, an annual list designed to recognize innovative small companies.

The Ann Arbor region’s honorees were: Ann Arbor-based craft materials manufacturer AKASHA-US Inc., product management software firm Campfire Interactive Inc., pharmaceutical services firm Integrated Nonclinical Development Solutions, digital marketing firm Pure Visibility and biotech firm NanoBio; Ypsilanti-based clothing line Maggie’s Organics and tile manufacturer Sensitile Systems; Plymouth Township-based Velesco Pharmaceutical Services.

Maria Thompson, who recently retired as president of battery firm A123Systems’ Ann Arbor division, said these innovative business illustrate Michigan’s vitality. The firm she co-founded in 1991, nanomaterials startup T/J Technologies, was named to the list of Michigan 50 Companies to Watch in 2005 and was acquired one year later by A123.

“Some of the people who say there’s nothing going on in Michigan (should) come and see all these businesses and all these entrepreneurs,” Thompson said. “That’s what people need to see.”

Granholm said the small businesses honored Thursday night are reflective of the entrepreneurial attitude Michigan needs to embrace.

“Our hope in Michigan is to be a culture of small business growth and dynamism and innovation and diversity. You give us that story. You are fueling that growth,” Granholm said. “It is small business that is going to bring Michigan back. Thank you for building the next Michigan.”

Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to Business Review's weekly and breaking newsletters.