A Scottsbluff physical therapist and business owner has been named Nebraska Small Business Person of the Year for 2024 by the Small Business Administration.
In a news release, SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman announced the National Small Business Week 2024 Award Winners for every state, including Michael Moravec, owner of Bluffs Physical Therapy.
According to the release, Moravec worked with U.S. Small Business Administration resource partner Scottsbluff Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) in 2018, to help him form a business entity with a business plan and financial projections. He obtained funding and opened a small rental space with one employee. Quickly growing in clients and staff, Moravec contacted the NBDC again in 2019 to assist with financial projections to construct a larger building.
The 2020 COVID pandemic necessitated social distancing restrictions, reducing staff to one. As restrictions were lifted, Moravec returned his employees one at a time. Fortunately, construction on the new building was nearing completion, and Moravec officially moved his company to a larger building, which is currently staffed with 24 employees.
Moravec serves on multiple community boards, volunteers, and donates yearly to various organizations, schools, and other programs.
As the Nebraska Small Business Person of the Year, Moravec will represent Nebraska at National Small Business Week ceremonies in Washington D.C. in April where he will compete for the National Small Business Person of the Year Award.
