Release Date: October 19 , 2007
Contact: Dianne Barlar, Marketing Director (850.473.7809 or dbarlar@uwf.edu)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nancy Boyle Named National Association of SBDC's Florida Star


L-R: Stephen Connors, VP Small Business Segment, Fidelity Investments and ASBDC State Star Reception
sponsor; Jerry Cartwright, State Director, FSBDCN;
Nancy Boyle, Florida Star; Mark Petrilli, State Director,
Illinois SBDC and 2007 Chair, ASBDC Board of
Directors; and Jean Holcombe, Deputy Associate
Administrator, Office of SBDCs, U.S. SBA

 

Pensacola, FL– Nancy Boyle, Director of the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN), was recognized as Florida’s Star at the national Association of Small Business Development Centers’ 27th Annual Conference held in Denver, Colorado in September.

Boyle was selected for the excellence she has shown and the outstanding contributions she has made to the overall SBDC program in terms of innovative program development, creative special projects, enhanced center performance and client impact.

“It is an honor to accept this award and to have the opportunity to help so many people achieve the dream of starting and succeeding in their own business,” said Boyle.

Boyle came to the Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville in May of 1992 and has served as the SBRN Director for the past 15 years.

A public-private partnership between the Florida SBDC Network and member firms, the SBRN is a free information clearinghouse that connects small businesses with government, non-profit agencies and the fee-for-service professional expertise they need to achieve their business goals.

Since its beginning in 1992, the SBRN has assisted more than 29,000 clients, helping them to receive more than $150 million in loans and create more than 3,700 jobs. Boyle said that she felt that the SBRN members were among her greatest accomplishments as the SBRN director.

“They’re just the best… experienced, quality professionals… terrific volunteers… great supporters of small business,” said Boyle.   

In 2005, the Florida SBDC Network received funding from the Florida Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development for the statewide expansion of the SBRN program. Since then, SBRN coordinators have been hired at the SBDC at USF in Tampa, the SBDC at UCF in Orlando and the SBDC at FGCU in Ft. Myers. The next SBDC targeted for SBRN expansion is the SBDC at UWF in Pensacola. Boyle has been the driving force behind this expansion.

“Nancy has been tireless in growing the SBRN into a model program that has brought a whole new element of professional consulting and advocacy for small businesses to the SBDC. It is well aligned with the SBDC Network’s role in creating an environment that is conducive to starting, growing and succeeding in small business throughout Florida. This award recognizes Nancy’s efforts to expand this program to all of our SBDCs, offering an extra layer of services to the small business community,” said State Director Jerry Cartwright.

The Florida SBDC 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 for the businesses and thus contributing to the economic prosperity of the state. It is the only statewide network for small business assistance. For more information about the FSBDCN, visit www.FloridaSBDC.com or call 1-866-737-7232.


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

The FSBDCN is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the US Small Business Administration.