HOLIDAY SPIRIT NOMINEES SOUGHT: Who's the kindest, most generous and thoughtful small-business owner in Orange County?

If someone instantly came to mind, nominate him or her for the 18th Annual Holiday Spirit Award, which honors the local entrepreneur who best exhibits the holiday spirit all year long.
(article continues below useful links)

Nomination deadline is Dec. 2. The winner will be announced in Business Monday on Dec. 19.

Write a description of less than a page of your nominee's good deeds and attitudes. Be specific. Include name, address and telephone number of both the business owner and nominator.

Send your nomination to Jan Norman, The Orange County Register, P.O. Box 11626 Santa Ana, CA 92711, fax to (714) 796-3685 or e-mail jnorman@ocregister.com.

SMALL-BUSINESS OWNERS CITE ECONOMIC WORRIES: Small-business owners are exhibiting concern about the direction of the economy, according to two new national surveys.

The International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board reports that 26 percent of owners expect the economy to improve in the next 12 months, compared to 53 percent who expected improvement at the start of 2005.

Just 48 percent expect their revenues to increase, compared to 71 percent in January. And 20 percent expect to expand their staffs, compared to 42 percent in January.

SurePayroll, an online payroll services provider, also found weakness in hiring by small companies. Hiring among its 15,000 clients dropped almost one percent in October.

In California, hiring was up 0.5 percent, but the average paycheck was lower.

For the first 10 months of 2005, nationwide hiring by small businesses has increased 0.3 percent. In 2004, hiring increased 4.4 percent.

U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LAUDS FIRMS: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has given its 2005 Citizenship in Action Award to the whole American business community for its role in Indonesian aid and reconstruction following the Dec. 26 tsunami. Companies gave $570 million in cash, products and services with 146 companies giving more than $1 million apiece.

Each year the Chamber's Corporate Citizenship Awards recognize businesses and chambers that have demonstrated ethical leadership and corporate stewardship.

The Chamber also honored Citizens Financial Group, parent of Citizens Bank, for its commitment to affordable housing, job creation and neighborhood revitalization; Xerox for contributions to long-term social and economic development; General Electric for corporate philanthropy and commitment to improving community social conditions; and Alticor, parent of direct sales company Amway, for focusing on orphans and other children in need worldwide.

Copyright © 2005. The Orange County Register.