California Skate Line Among Winners of American Express/Facebook Competition

David Hendrickson, owner of Hendrick Boards, a maker of eco-friendly skateboard decks and apparel in Anaheim, Calif., will receive $25,000 and training in brand building and marketing from American Express Open and Facebook as one of five winners of the Big Break for Small Business competition.

The other winners were Kristin Pond of Chicago sporting-goods retailer Dick Pond Athletics; Cory Shifter, owner of Casale Jewelers in Staten Island, N.Y.; Courtney Tellefsen of The Produce Box, a Raleigh, N.C., business that delivers locally grown produce; and Arpana Satyu and Martin Burge, who own Dutch Monkey Doughnuts in Cumming, Ga.

The winners will meet with marketing consultants from American Express Open and Facebook, who will provide marketing and strategy sessions at each winner’s business. Training will include best practices on using Facebook pages, ads and social plug-ins. The winners will also participate in the upcoming Small Business Saturday on Nov. 24 by inviting other small-business owners within their communities to meet with social media and marketing experts from Facebook and American Express Open to talk about using social channels to help their businesses.

—A.A.N.