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Payne Congratulates Robert Cottingham, Jr. On Being Named NJ Minority Small Business Person of the Year

May 7, 2015

Newark, N.J. – Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) today congratulated Robert Cottingham, Jr. on being named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2015 New Jersey Minority Small Business Person of the Year. Cottingham, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Sabre88, a consulting and IT company in Newark, and the former District Director for Congressman Donald M. Payne, Sr.

“Robert’s innovative work at Sabre88 sets an example for small businesses throughout New Jersey,” said Congressman Payne, Jr. “I congratulate Robert on this prestigious honor and for demonstrating that Newark is a great city for hard-working entrepreneurs to thrive. Minority-owned small businesses are strong drivers of job creation and economic growth, and Robert’s success will serve as an inspiration for other start-ups in Newark and across our state.”

Cottingham, Jr. was honored today at the SBA’s Annual Small Business Week Awards Reception, hosted by the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey. He was selected for the honor based on criteria that included the business’ overall financial strength, growth in sales and profits, growth in number of employees, and participation in community and charitable events.

Established in 2008, Sabre88 has gone from a one-man shop to a company with 32 fulltime employees. It was recently named in Fortune Magazine’s Inner City 100 as one of the fastest-growing inner-city companies in the United States. Sabre88 was the only New Jersey company selected.