Selected by the Small Business Administration, Nicholaisen was named small business person of the year and represented Iowa in the nation's capital as the statewide award winner.
"It's wonderful to see the efforts of hard working business people recognized," said Grassley. "Providing good jobs and building the economic base of a small community, like New Hampton, is invaluable to the prosperity of rural America."
Nicolaisen is the president of a food manufacturing company whose products include non- dairy creamers and shortening powders. He and his wife started the company in 1994 with five employees and today employ 75.