Release Date: September 13, 2005
Contact: Dianne Barlar, Director, Marketing and Development, dbarlar@uwf.edu (850.473.7809)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Florida Small Business Development Center Network
Recognized with National Economic Development Award

The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) was notified on September 7 that they have received high honors. The US Department of Commerce announced the FSBDCN as the winner of the 2005 EDA Excellence in Economic Development Award for Economic Adjustment Strategies category. The award recognizes the FSBDCN’s commitment to the small business community of Florida following the aftermath of four hurricanes crisscrossing Florida’s business community in 2004.

The FSBDCN Directors positioned throughout Florida are economic leaders in their regions. This enabled them to work closely and collaboratively with the regional and county economic development agencies; workforce boards; chambers of commerce; the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development; Enterprise Florida; and others to ensure that our state’s business economic health came back to pre-hurricane conditions and improved. During the hurricane upheaval, 4,086 jobs were retained and 123 new jobs were created.

Jerry Cartwright, FSBDCN State Director, said that “2004 brought the need for a mission adjustment for the SBDC Network. The professional staff organized and implemented a statewide strategy to get the state’s small businesses back on track and growing. I’m extremely proud of the efforts our entire Network put forth during last year’s hurricane season and that experience has provided us with the necessary tools to now facilitate the recovery efforts of businesses in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.”

The state of Florida was overwhelmed by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne in 2004. Florida needed a statewide organization to rise up in support of the state’s small business community and the FSBDCN rose to the challenge. Professional staff that no longer had an office were in the field counseling clients, assisting small business owners with different applications, and partnering to assist DRC clients nearest their home base; training was adjusted to recognize the needs of small business during trying times; and information needs turned to the real economic needs of the clients.

On September 22, Jerry Cartwright will be presented the award at the Ritz Carlton Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia, during the EDA’s Symposium for 21st Century Economic Development. He will accept it on behalf of the professional staff in Florida who stepped up, created a better business community and saved jobs in Florida. Cartwright said that “the FSBDCN is a small program with many heroes.” Sandy Baruah, EDA Chief of Staff, summed it up well when he said, “The winners of EDA’s Excellence Awards represent the best and brightest economic development methods and practices in use today. Their commitment to sound, research-based, market-driven economic development is helping America’s communities grow their economies and create jobs. I am grateful for their participation in our national award program.”

The Florida Small Business Development Center Network is a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development organizations dedicated to providing emerging and established business owners with assistance enabling overall growth and increased profitability that contributes to the economic prosperity of the state. For more information about the FSBDCN, visit our website at www.FloridaSBDC.com.

Florida SBDC Network
State Director's Office
University of West Florida
401 E Chase St, Ste 100
Pensacola, FL  32502
850.473.7800 / f 850.473.7813
fsbdc@uwf.edu / www.FloridaSBDC.com