Release Date: July 12, 2006
Contact: Dianne Barlar, Marketing Director (850.473.7809 or dbarlar@uwf.edu)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Florida SBDC Network Presents Performance Excellence and Lenders' Hall of Fame Awards

On June 28, one hundred and thirty-five Florida SBDC Network staff members and conference attendees gathered to recognize staff, volunteers and lenders for performance excellence in support of entrepreneurs growing small businesses in Florida. Performance Excellence and Lenders' Hall of Fame Awards were presented at the Recognition Luncheon held during the Annual FSBDCN Professional Development Conference in Orlando, Florida, by FSBDCN State Director Jerry Cartwright and the SBDC Directors.

Awards were given for the Lenders' Hall of Fame; Florida Network State Star; State Volunteer; Regional Volunteers of the Year; Regional Certified Business Analysts (CBA); Regional Employees of the Year; National Association of SBDC State Star; and Network Service Awards.

Lenders' Hall of Fame Awards acknowledge the importance and value of strong partnerships with lenders. Together, SBDCs and lenders play a valuable role in helping businesses start and expand. The FSBDCs awarded lifetime status in the Network's Lenders' Hall of Fame to W. Ward Rainnie, Vice President of American Enterprise Bank of Florida, nominated by the SBDC at UNF; James Hosman, Vice President of Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, nominated by the SBDC at UWF; and William P. Valenti, President/CEO of Florida Gulf Bank, nominated by the SBDC at FGCU. (Click to view photos of LHOF awardees.)

The Florida Network State Star is Nancy Boyle from the SBDC at UNF. The award recognizes the employee who has demostrated outstanding contributions to the overall SBDC program for innovative program development, creative special projects, enhanced center performance and/or client impact. Nancy was selected for her efforts and success with the SBDC at UNF’s Small Business Resource Network (SBRN). Since its beginning in 1992, the SBRN has assisted more than 25,000 clients. These clients have received more than $144 million in loans. The SBRN facilitated the creation of more than 3000 jobs. A grant to assist in expanding the SBRN program statewide was awarded in June 2005. Nancy is the driving force behind this expansion. Nominees for the award were Julio Estremera, SBDC at FGCU; Tom Hermanson, SBDC at UWF; and Rafael Cruz, SBDC at FAU.

The State Volunteer, Sue Tatum, was nominated by the SBDC at UCF. Sue acts as an ambassador for the SBDC and the SBDC's Advisory Board Council, promoting SBDC services to her clients and other area professionals.

Regional Volunteers of the Year are April Gardner Asker, SBDC at FAMU; Joe Lemire, SBDC at UNF; Fred Seyboth, SBDC at USF; Michael Bush, SBDC at FAU; and Sue Tatum, SBDC at UCF. The award recognizes regional volunteers for outstanding contributions, for their advocacy, program development and/or special projects, presentation of SBDC workshops and client counseling.

Regional Certified Business Analysts (CBAs) recognized were Tom Hermanson, SBDC at UWF; Sunday Omah, SBDC at FAMU; Kevin Monahan, SBDC at UNF; Charlene Bostic, SBDC/PTAC at USF; Ted Kramer, SBDC at FAU; Julio Estremera, SBDC at FGCU; and Robert Goetz, SBDC at Seminole CC. The award recognizes CBAs for their excellence with resource utilization, client impact and special projects.

Sharon Triplett, SBDC at UWF; Chris Workman, SBDC at FAMU; Marice Hague, SBDC at UNF; Pat Bryant, SBDC at USF; Marilyn Heller, SBDC at FAU; Peter Keating, SBDC at FGCU; and Lynne Leitch, SBDC at UCF, were the Regional Employees of the Year. The award recognizes employees for making the greatest contribution to SBDC operations.

The National ASBDC State Star is Carrie Duvall, SBDC at UCF. The Florida Star of the preceding year is recognized as the national Association of SBDCs State Star Awardee for Florida.

(Click to view photos of FSBDCN Performance Excellence awardees.)

Two thousand and six, the 30th anniversary of the Florida Network, ushered in the onset of the Network Service Awards. These awards were implemented to publicly recognize employees and statewide advisory board members achieving increments of service to the Florida SBDCs. Janice Donaldson, Regional Director of the SBDC at UNF, was recognized for 25 years of service. Click to view a list of all Network Service awardees.

Each year, FSBDCN staff—from Clerical to Certified Business Analysts to Directors—meet at the Conference to publicly recognize their best—those who have demonstrated their excellence—as they immerse themselves in to three days of intense training in technical to behavioral seminars.

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

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the US Small Business Administration.