OGDENSBURG -- Carbino’s Jewelry and Diamond Center was honored recently with a Small Business Excellence Award in East Syracuse.

The U.S. Small Business Administration and the New York Business Development Corporation hosted the 13th annual luncheon to recognize the achievements of local small businesses. The NYS Small Business Development Center at SUNY Canton nominated Carbino’s Jewelry and Diamond Center for the award.

Carbino’s was a well-known family business in the North Country for nearly 100 years when Mr. Carbino retired and closed the business in 1997. Three years later, Greg Carbino decided he wanted to get back into the family business and with the help of the SUNY Canton SBDC and SBA, he and his wife Brenda purchased the original building, opening for business in 2000.

A few months later, a fire at a neighboring business destroyed their building. Despite the setback, the Carbinos managed to open for the Christmas season at a temporary location, and in 2003 the Carbinos moved into a new building at their original location.

Greg Carbino thanked the SBA and Community Bank, and thanked SBDC Canton Director Dale Rice for hard work resulting in a $160,000 SBA-guaranteed loan.

"We bought a building and started a business. They believed in me and for that I will always be grateful,” said Carbino.

Small businesses are selected for the Excellence Awards based on longevity, innovation, sales growth, increased employment, ability to overcome adversity or community contributions.

In the photo above are, from left, Bernard J. Paprocki, SBA Syracuse district director, Kristey McGill, Brenda Carbino, owner of Carbino’s Jewelry and Diamond Center, Greg Carbino, owner of Carbino’s Jewelry and Diamond Center, Dale Rice, NYS SBDC Canton director, and Patrick MacKrell, president & CEO of New York Business Development Corporation.