SBA honors Dave Heide

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has named a local chef Dave Heide as Wisconsin’s 2022 Small Business Person of the Year, according to a release from the SBA. Heide is the owner and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef of Liliana’s Restaurant in Fitchburg and runs the nonprofit Little John’s, which turns excess food into chef-made meals for 7,000 food-insecure people weekly, including at its pay-what-you-can restaurant. The award highlights the resilience, ingenuity, and creativity of small business owners who have navigated challenges from the pandemic and contributed to the nation’s economic comeback.