COEUR d'ALENE - Kat Vercruyssen, owner of Coeur d'Alene-based Comfort Keepers of North Idaho, has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration's 2011 Idaho small business person of the year.

Comfort Keepers of North Idaho provides in-home care to seniors, children with special needs and disabled persons.

Vercruyssen was nominated for the award by Bill Jhung, regional director of the Idaho Small Business Development Center, in Post Falls.

Comfort Keepers of North Idaho has 100 employees and an office at 820 E. Best Ave.

She has owned the business for 11 years.

She has overcome the death of her husband and business partner in November 2004. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2005, but is now cancer free.

Despite another hurdle, a major economic downturn, her business has grown.

Her business doubled its employment from 2008. In 2009, she opened offices in Kellogg and Sandpoint.

"We're proud that we can put people to work," Vercruyssen said Thursday.

Last year, the business saw a 38 percent increase in revenue from the year earlier.

Vercruyssen will be honored by the SBA at the National Small Business Week ceremonies in Washington, D.C., on May 18 and 20. As the winner of the Idaho small business person of the year award, Vercruyssen could be named the national small business person of the year during the national event.

"It was such an honor to go down to Boise," she said.

She's now looking forward to visiting the White House and meeting the president, she said.

Norman Proctor, Boise SBA district director, said, "Under Kat's leadership, Comfort Keepers has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years. SBA is pleased to have assisted Comfort Keepers of North Idaho with training and business mentoring through the Small Business Development Center in Post Falls as well as an SBA loan."

In making the Idaho small business person of the year nomination, Bill Jhung said, "Kat sincerely cares about her clients and possesses a deep respect and appreciation of her employees. It's no surprise they have become such a highly respected service provider in the region."