KOVAL is proud to announce that founders President Sonat Birnecker Hart and Robert Birnecker have been named Illinois’ Small Business Persons of the Year. The announcement was made today by administrator Linda McMahon, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Along with winners from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rio, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Robert and Sonat are invited to attend ceremonies in Washington, D.C. on the 30th of April to the 1st of May. The ceremony kicks off Small Business Week set to occur this year from April 30 – May 6 across the nation. All 54 of the winners will receive an individual award and full recognition as a 2017 National Small Business Person of the Year.

Upon receiving the award, Birnecker Hart said, “This award is an independent vote of confidence in all that we are doing and trying to achieve, for which we are truly grateful.”

KOVAL Distillery is Chicago’s first distillery since Prohibition, making small batch, hand crafted organic and kosher whiskeys and spirits. The husband and wife team behind KOVAL are leading consultants for the distilling industry, having educated over 3500 people in the art of distilling, while setting up over 150 distilleries for others from the ground up in the US, Canada, and Scandinavia.