Onvia CEO Mike Pickett Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2010 Award Finalist In The Pacific Northwest

SEATTLE, June 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Onvia, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONVI) today announced that CEO Mike Pickett is a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year ® 2010 Award in the Pacific Northwest.  According to Ernst & Young LLP, the awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate extraordinary success in the areas of innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.  Pickett was selected as a finalist from nearly 60 nominations by a panel of independent judges.  Award recipients will be announced at a special gala event on June 18, 2010 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel.  

Onvia is the leader in gBusiness solutions and the creator of Recovery.org a private sector initiative to give businesses transparency into recovery project spending. Onvia is the authority on government spending and has the largest and most comprehensive database serving industries such as architecture and engineering, construction, IT/telecom, business consulting services, operations and maintenance, and transportation.

"I am honored to be nominated and recognized for Onvia's innovation and performance. Serving this company and community has been gratifying, especially during a period in which business and government are so closely intertwined," said Mike Pickett, CEO of Onvia. "I appreciate the opportunity to be in the company of other such influential business leaders."

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program celebrates its 24th anniversary this year.  The program has expanded to recognize business leaders in over 135 cities in 50 countries throughout the world.  

Regional award recipients are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year national program.  Award recipients in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award recipient, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California on November 13, 2010.  The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation's most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

About Onvia

For more than a decade Onvia has been the leading provider of gBusiness solutions in the United States, covering the broadest set of industries, projects and products at every level of government. Thousands of companies rely on Onvia's customized information services to grow sales opportunities, understand buyer and seller activities, and research markets. For information, call 1-800-331-2320 or visit www. onvia.com. To view Economic Recovery-funded projects tracked by Onvia, visit www.recovery.org.

About Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur Of The Year® Awards Program

Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur Of The Year® is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The award makes a difference through the unique way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.