LEWISTON – Entrepreneur Ford Reiche was hailed as the small business person of the year on Friday by the federal Small Business Administration.

In a ceremony at the Ramada Inn attended by 250 people, Reiche was singled out for his leadership and vision as the founder and CEO of Safe Handling, a bulk transporter in Auburn.

“Ford’s entrepreneurial spirit and his sensitivity to the needs of his customers, vendors and employees, along with his commitment to his community and our great state has earned him the Maine U.S. SBA’s 2008 Small Business Person of the Year Award,” said Deb Neuman, moderator for the event and host of “Back to Business,” a radio talk show that focuses on issues confronting Maine’s small business community.

Started in 1989, Safe Handling transports hazardous and quality-sensitive materials to industrial users, especially the paper industry. Sited on three acres in Auburn, the company started with a one-room office and one rail spur. Today it is the largest rail-to-truck transloading facility in Maine, handling products as diverse as industrial chemicals to baking flour. Its facility now covers more than 200 acres in Auburn, 22,000 feet of track that support 200 rail cars and a 103,000-square-foot warehouse and manufacturing complex, part of a $42 million expansion.

In 2004, Reiche started toll processing, or importing lightweight dry chemicals by rail and mixing them with their liquid components at Safe Handling to produce the specialized industrial chemicals need by its clients. The finished products are delivered by truck, saving Maine industry millions of dollars annually in transportation costs, according to the SBA.

Additionally, since one rail car carries as much weight as four tractor-trailers, Safe Handling also has reduced the greenhouse gas emissions for industrial transportation, earning recognition by Gov. John Baldacci and environmental groups.

Also honored by the SBA were John and Brendan Ready, co-owners of Portland-based Ready Seafood, as the SBA’s National 2008 Young Entrepreneur Award winners.

Robert L. Johnston, chairman and founder of Winslow- and Albion-based Johnny’s Selected Seeds, was named the SBA’s 2008 National, New England and Massachusetts Entrepreneurial Success Award winner. Johnston won the Maine competition for this award and went on to win both the New England and national contests.