Lowisz Named SBA’s Michigan Small Business Person of the Year
Press release distributed in partnership with … 
Stephen A. Lowisz, President & CEO of Qualigence, Inc. in Livonia, has been named the 2008 Michigan Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Qualigence is a recruitment research and professional search company dedicated to helping its clients hire the most qualified candidates for their organizations.
Detroit, MI (PRWEB) April 24, 2008 — Stephen A. Lowisz, President & CEO of Qualigence, Inc. in Livonia, has been named the 2008 Michigan Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Qualigence is a recruitment research and professional search company dedicated to helping its clients hire the most qualified candidates for their organizations.
“Stephen Lowisz is the embodiment of a true entrepreneur,” said Richard Temkin, SBA District Director. “By working with and listening to his customers to help them identify their recruitment needs, Steve helped his company achieve outstanding growth. This is the kind of small business success that will lead Michigan’s come back, and I am very proud to announce that he is this year’s winner of the Michigan Small Business Person of the Year award.” As the state winner, Lowisz is in contention for the national award, which will be announced during National Small Business Week, April 21-25.
Lowisz’s path to entrepreneurship hasn’t been an easy road. Graduating from Lawrence Technological University with an architecture degree, Lowisz was going to be an architect until he realized he liked working with people more than blueprints. A chance opportunity introduced him to the recruiting industry and he joined a leading recruitment research firm headquartered in Chicago.
Discovering that he would need to start his own company to accomplish his vision for the business, Lowisz founded Qualigence in 1999. He started the business with a laptop in his basement and was determined to create an organization that would be unique in the recruiting industry. Lowisz was able to solicit a few friends to work for him and cashed in his personal 401k investment to provide payroll.
The company is now headquartered in Livonia with additional offices in Cincinnati, Toledo, and Chicago. As the largest recruitment research firm in the U.S., Qualigence works with companies of all sizes and industries, most of which are Fortune 500 companies from all over the U.S. and the world. Regardless of growth or size, Lowisz operates the business with the same mission he started it with: “People will always come first – the clients and my employees.” In eight years the company has grown from four employees to the current staff of 77 with sales of over million annually.
Qualigence was named as one of the Edward Lowe Foundation’s “50 Companies to Watch” in 2006. Lowisz is a member of both the Livonia and Detroit Chambers of Commerce, and is also committed to his community. In that regard, he is a board member of Pathway Family Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the long-term treatment center for adolescent substance abuse. As a very active board member, Lowisz was determined this year to launch the first annual Magic of Kids Fundraising Event in Detroit. Qualigence employees planned and facilitated the Detroit Magic Event, investing hundreds of hours of time. The event raised over ,000, and the second annual event is already being planned. In 2004, Qualigence became a supporter of the Motor City Blight Busters and Lowisz and the Qualigence team helped facilitate events to eliminate blight from area neighborhoods in northwest Detroit.
“Building a successful company that operates under the basic values of putting people first (my clients, my employees, and the community) has been my mission. I am proud to be recipient of this prestigious award as well as having Qualigence recognized for its growth, success, positive impact in the recruiting industry” comments Lowisz.
Lowisz will receive his award during the fourth annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards dinner at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing on April 24, 2008. For more information on this event, please go to www.michigancelebrates.biz. For more information on Lowisz, please contact the SBA Michigan District Office at (313) 226-6075 x225 or e-mail [email protected]. Photo available from SBA upon request.
This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company
listed above.
###