Sawyer wins national business award

W. Thomas Sawyer Jr., president of the Sawyer Environmental group of companies, has been chosen for the first Entrepreneurial Success Award given by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Sawyer was the only entrepreneur selected for the award. He was chosen by a a committee of small-business people meeting in Washington, D.C., from a nationwide pool of candidates.

With 1990 revenues expected to reach $20 million, Sawyer Environmental is no longer eligible for assistance from the Small Business Administration. But assistance from the SBA helped the company evolve into a family of businesses in the waste disposal and recycling industry.

Sawyer Environmental now employs about 200 people at operations in Hampden, Hermon and Portland.

The SBA committee selected Sawyer for his company’s innovative services, employment growth, sales increases, history of profitability and community involvement. The company was nominated for the award by Eastern Maine Development Corp.

The Maine office of the SBA will honor Sawyer and the winners of other state small-business awards at a banquet in Lewiston on May 4.

A few days later, Sawyer will travel to Washington, D.C., where he will receive the national award from President Bush.

“I’m tickled pink,” said Sawyer, who is also the chairman of the Bangor City Council.

In addition to his business and political interests, Sawyer is a trustee of Husson College and a director of EMDC, the Maine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the University of Maine Foundation and the Bangor Educational Foundation.

Sawyer is also an active supporter of athletic programs at the local level and the University of Maine.