Student Participation in Reality Labs

International Student from Haiti Joins SBDC at FAU Staff
Student assistant Reyna Jacques joined the SBDC’s staff at the Boca Raton FAU main campus location. Reyna is an international student from Haiti and is fluent in English, French, Creole and Spanish. Reyna is studying for her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Management/Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

CBAs Speak at University/College Classes
Certified Business Analyst (CBA) Greg Baumann spoke at a Finance class offered by Dr. Bill Smith at Florida Keys Community College.  The topic concerned various loans offered by the SBA. Also, there was discussion on financial statements and what potential creditors expect in a loan package.

CBA Phil Scruton spoke to a FAU business sorority about the requirements of starting a small business.  He covered technical issues, marketing, accounting and taxes.

Polly Hines

BCC Business Faculty and Students Attend BW Simpkins Business Seminar Appreciation Reception Polly Hines, president of Flamingo Transport Company and an SBDC at Brevard Community College (BCC) client and enthusiast, attended an appreciation reception for BW Simpkins Business Seminar for Entrepreneurial Development speaker L. Gale Lemerand. Polly had the opportunity to promote her company to BCC administrators, community leaders and Florida Today publisher, Bob Stover. BCC business faculty and students also attended. The reception was an outstanding opportunity for students to network with business and community leaders. SBDC at BCC Director Vicky Peake is Vice-Chair of the Simpkins Committee.

SBDC at UWF Director Appointed to Escambia County Enterprise Zone Development Agency Board Larry Strain, Executive Director of the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of West Florida was recently appointed as an At-Large representative to serve on the Escambia County Enterprise Zone Development Agency Board. Escambia County Commissioners approved his appointment at the May 24, 2007 meeting. Larry was appointed to a four-year term that will expire in May 2011.

Larry Strain

SBDC at UNF Partners to Provide Retail Workshop
The SBDC at UNF’s Cathy Hagan organized a workshop in Nassau County for area retailers called: Compete! Don’t Retreat! It is in conjunction with the Florida Retail Federation and the Chamber of Commerce.  The topic was how to survive competition from Big Box retailers.

SBDC at UNF CBA Hosts Monthly Television Show
Watch “Speaking of Business”, the SBDC at UNF’s monthly cable television show hosted by Nancy Boyle.  Nancy’s current and upcoming topics include how to survive a merger successfully and how to get the most from the City of Jacksonville’s upcoming procurement trade fair.

SBDC at FAU Receives Grant from City of Hollywood to Expand Services
In Broward County, the SBDC received a new grant from the City of Hollywood to expand counseling and training within the city, and the City of Lauderhill renewed its contract for counseling and training for another year.

SBDC Outreach Expands in Okeechobee County
During the quarter, the SBDC at FAU expanded its outreach to the rural communities of Okeechobee County and the cities of Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay in Palm Beach County. The SBDC opened an office in the City of Okeechobee and is offering counseling 32 hours per week along with a multi-week training workshop based on the REAL method of learning.

SBDC at FAU Participates in Kauffman Foundation's National Entrepreneurship Week
The SBDC at FAU participated in the Kauffman Foundation’s National Entrepreneurship Week offering “How to Stay Out of Trouble When Starting Your New Business”. The week ran from February 24 to March 3 and included thousands of activities, ranging from high school competitions to academic gatherings and from local town halls to a national policy summit. More than 700 organizations participated, with activities in all fifty states. The FAU event was arranged by CBA Ted Kramer and training coordinator Jeanne Cimillo.

SBDC at USF Staff Serve on Committees and Councils
Irene Hurst continues to serve on the Supervisory Committee for the USF Federal Credit Union and conducted regular operational and policy audits. Recently, USF Federal Credit Union partnered with a private company to provide small business loans to their members and has referred many clients to SBDC for technical assistance. 

Kris Manning, Office Manager for SBDC at USF, was selected to serve on the Staff Council for the College of Business Administration. This charge is to plan and execute events for non-faculty staff at the College to enhance the quality of work life, advocate change and improvements, and recognize staff accomplishments at the university level.

Jill Kaufman, Assistant Director speaks to a guest at the Disney Entrepreneur Center Open House

SBDC at UCF Celebrated Entrepreneur Week with Open House In honor of Entrepreneur Week, the SBDC at UCF participated in an open house with the Disney Entrepreneur Center. The event featured a one-hour seminar entitled “Cash Flow Starts with Sales”, networking and refreshments. The SBDC at UCF hosted a booth within the Disney Entrepreneur Center and presented the services and programs offered by the SBDC to over 150 guests.

SBDC at UCF’s Small Business Resource Network Hosts Membership Drive Reception
The SBDC at UCF sponsored a reception for the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN) on January 30 for its current members and prospects. With over 50 members and guests in attendance, the reception featured a presentation overview by Nancy Boyle, SBRN Director-Jacksonville, and Kellie Snaith, SBRN Program Manager-Central Florida, and testimonials from Jacksonville Steering Committee Chair, Beth Barron of UPS Capital, and Tampa Steering Committee Chair, Beverly Pringle of Wachovia. As a direct result of the reception, the SBRN of Central Florida received six new members.

BW Simpkins Entrepreneurial Lecture Series Brings Outstanding Entrepreneurs to Brevard County L. Gale Lemerand, founder of Gale Industries, Inc., author of To Win in Business…Bet on the Jockey, generous humanitarian and benefactor to education, spoke to Brevard Community College students, faculty, business leaders and small businesses in April. Mr. Lemerand was the featured speaker for the BW Simpkins Business Seminar for Entrepreneurial Development. Mr. Lemerand spoke to a full house on both Brevard Community College Cocoa and Melbourne campuses. SBDC at Brevard Community College Director Vicky Peake is Vice-Chair of the Simpkins Committee. The BW Simpkins Entrepreneurial Lecture Series brings outstanding entrepreneurs to Brevard County to speak about finding economic success.

L-R: Polly Hines, L. Gale Lemerand and Vicky Peake

New Blog Provides Opportunities for SBDC CBA to Provide Expert Business Information The SBDC at UNF’s Philip Geist has started a new blog in conjunction with the Ocala Star-Banner on its website at www.ocala.com, News, News Front, Blogs, Speaking of Business. His topics have included: disaster planning, managing a seasonal business, demographics of new retail opportunities, the effects of road construction, reducing energy expenses, business start-up, planning for the unexpected and the street-smart entrepreneur.

"Issues, events, and topics that affect small businesses. A source of information for current and future entrepreneurs."

Participants of Girls Going Places

SBDC at UNF Hosts Third Teen Entrepreneurship Conference The SBDC at UNF hosted its Third Annual Girls Going Places Teen Entrepreneurship Conference in April. Nearly 100 high school girls and 30 women business owner mentors participated in the event. The girls played the Hot Company board game, interviewed entrepreneurs and built a “Product in a Box”.

Disaster Workshops Provide Venues to Showcase MAC Capabilities The SBDC at UNF sponsored four workshops this spring on disaster planning in Hastings, St. Augustine, and Gainesville. The Mobile Assistance Center (MAC) was utilized in several of these workshops. A total of 10 disaster workshops are planned in the SBDC at UNF service area.

Tanya Douglas and Kevin Monahan in front of MAC

Participants at REAL Program

CBAs Are Certified as Facilitators for Rural Entrepreneurship Program SBDC at FAU's Maggie Gunther from Fort Lauderdale and Jim Lilly from Okeechobee; SBDC at FGCU's Julio Estremera, Immokalee, and Sean Moore Clewiston; SBDC at USF's Bob Raymond and Bill McKown, Sebring, attended the NC REAL Institute February 26- March 2 in Chapel Hill, NC to become certified facilitators for the REAL (Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning) Program, a multi-session entrepreneurship/business planning program that teaches attendees through a series of hands-on activities.

SBDC at UCF Hosts “The Strategy of Marketing” Seminar as part of the Orange County Economic Stimulus Package The SBDC at UCF presented a one-day seminar entitled “The Strategy of Marketing” on February 8 to 60 small business men and women. The seminar is part of the Center’s 6th Annual Strategic Seminar Series sponsored by the Orange County Government. Designed for established small businesses, the seminar was taught by UCF Marketing Professor Raj Echambadi and UCF Marketing Instructor Stefanie Mayfield Garcia. The seminar explored a range of strategic marketing topics including creating value by understanding your customer, marketing intelligence for small business, and promoting a business on a small budget.

Strategy of Marketing seminar

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Diversity Through Collaboration

CBA Presents at Hispanic Chamber Business Start-Up Workshop
Dominic Orsini from the SBDC at UNF Gainesville office participated as a presenter in a business start-up workshop with the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Jacksonville. The seminar was offered in Spanish and is part of a series of bimonthly seminars on business topics.

CBA Attends Super Bowl Diversity Business Forum
CBA Maggie Gunther attended the Super Bowl Diversity Business Forum held the week before the Super Bowl. The event featured a networking breakfast and a panel discussion with Cris Carter (former football player), Wayne Huizenga and other successful people in the world of sports and business.

SBDC at USF's 21st Government Small Business Conference Attracts Over 250 Attendees
Over 250 people participated in the SBDC at USF's 21st Annual Government Small Business Conference targeting Hubzone and service-disabled Veteran businesses. This significant annual event is possible because of a long-time collaboration between the SBDC, PTAC at USF and prime contractors in the area. The event attracted small and minority businesses from as far away as Virginia.

SBDC at USF staff at the 21st Annual Government Small Business Conference

Conference attendees

Asian Chamber and SBDC at USF Partner to Host Business Forum
The SBDC at USF partnered with the Asian Chambers of Commerce of Tampa Bay to host the 3rd Annual Business Forum with topics on Doing Business with China and with India. The event was attended by over 200 people.

Adrienne Darby and Doretha Brooks

SBDC at CFDC Staff Are Panelists at the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Seminar Doretha Brooks and Adrienne Darby of the SBDC at the Central Florida Development Council, Polk County, were panelists at the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, 1st Annual Mind, Body & Wealth Seminar in Lakeland, Florida. They discussed entrepreneurship and economic development.

Charlotte Chamber Expo Table	SBDC at FGCU's Tor Ortenson and Peter Keating
	Peter Keating talks to Expo Participants

The Business Services Committee of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, of which the SBDC at FGCU's Peter Keating is a co-chairman this year, plans and implements the yearly Shop Charlotte Consumer Expo showcasing the products and services of the Chamber members. The 2007 Expo was held on Friday March 9 at the Tentatorium in Punta Gorda. Eighty Chamber Members participated in the event including retail shops, restaurants, schools, air conditioning companies, banks, building-related firms and more.

Keynote Speaker Rebecca Ryan

SBDC at UNF Hosts 15th Annual Small Business Week Celebration The SBDC at UNF sponsored its 15th Annual Small Business Week Celebration on May 8. Nearly 400 people participated in the workshop and awards luncheon. Keynote speaker Rebecca Ryan discussed Becoming a Next Generation Company in the workshop and Becoming a Next Generation City at the luncheon. Ryan is founder of Next Generation Consulting, author of the new book Live First, Work Second, and a nationally acclaimed speaker.

The U.S. Small Business Administration presented its annual Small Business Week awards and its Top Lender awards at the event. The four award winners, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Family-Owned Business of the Year, Financial Services Champion, and Women in Business Champion, were all nominated by the SBDC at UNF. Zelda Fraden-Greenberg won for Family-Owned Business at the District and Regional levels. As part of the Celebration, the Jacksonville Business Journal published a special small business section in the May 4 newspaper, featuring advice from the winners, an excerpt from Rebecca Ryan’s book, and an advertisement on the SBDC. In addition, Janice Donaldson authored a column for the edition entitled: “Middle-aged Missing from Ranks of Today’s Entrepreneurs”.

SBDC at FAU Shows Support for Local Resource
Nancy Young attended the Annual Open House of the Palm Beach County Office of Small Business Assistance. Participation enabled Nancy to show support for this resource partner and talk to other attendees and OSBA staff about the SBDC.

SBDC at USF Receives Outstanding Member Award
SBDC at USF was presented the 2006-2007 Outstanding Member Award by The Gulf Coast Business Finance Inc. for being an Outstanding Support as a Community Organization Member.

SBDC at UCF Nomination Receives Small Business Person of the Year Award An Orlando businessman, assisted for nine years by the SBDC at UCF, was named the Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Rod Vargas, president of Apex Environmental Engineering & Compliance, Inc., nominated for the award in recognition of his contributions to the Central Florida business community and his active role as a community leader, has been a SBDC client since 1998, Vargas received many services from the SBDC including business counseling, market research, participation in UCF’s Small Business Institute, and the SBDC’s award-winning Advisory Board Council program.

Eunice Choi with Rod Vargas

L-R: Lori Baldwin, Cindy Broome, Pat Shankle and Julie Gooch

Chet Straub and John Dunn

The SBDC at Brevard Community College held a Lender’s Roundtable at the new Melbourne/Palm Bay Area Chamber Viera satellite office. Presenters included Lori Baldwin, BB & T Bank; Cindy Broome, SunTrust; Pat Shankle, Riverside National Bank; Julie Gooch, Florida Business Bank; Chet Straub, TRDA; and John Dunn, U.S. Small Business Administration. The Viera satellite office is housed at One Senior Place, the facility of SBDC Success Story Don Kramer. Viera is a rapidly growing market in Brevard.

Carlos Cardenas, SBDC at FAU CBA (left)

Carlos Cardenas, CBA from the SBDC at FAU, Miami office, was invited by the City of Miami’s Community Relations Board to participate in one of its many commission district-focused community fairs to spread the word about how the SBDC helps people achieve their dreams. “The SBDC is an important partner because their focus on assisting the small business community dovetails together with our ACCESS Miami initiative, also striving to help the small business entrepreneurs,” said William Porro, special projects administrator for the city of Miami.

L-R: Lewis Attardo, Laura Subel and Katherine Hoelscher

Florida SBDC Network State Director's Office Staff, Katherine Hoelscher, Assistant State Director; Lewis Attardo, Manager of the Business Technology Commercialization Program; and Laura Subel, Manager of the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center Program traveled to Tallahassee in April to participate in and support the University of West Florida's 2007 Capitol Day. The event provided an opportunity for faculty, students, staff and trustees to spread the word about UWF being a special place. UWF has been the host of the Florida SBDC Network since 1976.

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SBDC at FGCU's Suzanne Specht volunteered to travel to Haiti May 15-18 to provide counseling and training to organizations through FAVACA. As a result of the training, participants were excited to take back to their organizations a written business plan/strategic strategy that included defining/tweaking their vision and mission statements, learning about financial statements and the budgeting process, and defining their future goals/objectives. Specific counseling included evaluating their current executive summaries. Also, a direct result from the grants seminars was a template for each organization to use in creating successful grant proposals, take-a-ways with templates, and opportunities to find international grants.

FAVACA/FHE Seminar attendees in Petionville, Haiti

SBDC at USF CBA Passes Certified Global Business Professional Exam
As part of the U.S. Department of Education Title VI Business In International Education grant, SBDC at USF's Eileen Rodriguez sat for, and passed, the Certified Global Business Professional Exam. Also part of the grant, the SBDC at USF hosted the 6-week International Trade Certificate Program in April and May. Three USF faculties participated in the program.

SBDC at USF CBA Presents Paper on How to Implement International Trade Program
SBDC at USF's Eileen Rodriguez presented a paper on how to implement the international trade certificate program, with Dr. María Crummett, Dean of International Affairs at USF, at NASBITE International in Vancouver, BC, Canada in April.

International Partners Attend Network Professional Development Conference
Representatives from SBDCs in Curacao, the Cayman Islands and Mexico attended the Florida SBDC Network's 2007 Professional Development Conference held in June 2007 at the Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites on Sand Key.

International Council of Central Florida Visits SBDC at UCF
The International Council of Central Florida brought a group of 28 guests, representing 23 different countries, to tour the Disney Entrepreneur Center and the SBDC at UCF on February 22. The purpose of the tour, entitled “Public-Private Cooperation: New Technology in Small Business, focused on business development through public and private partnerships, technology-focused business, small business development in suburban areas, and university incubators. Kellie Snaith, SBDC at UCF Marketing Director, spoke to the group about the Florida SBDC Network and the SBDC at UCF, presenting the history of the FSBDCN, along with a description of the services offered by the SBDC at UCF. The group was concluding a national tour which focused on national, state, regional and local levels of public/private partnerships. The countries represented included Australia, Bhutan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Hong Kong, Laos, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Turkey, Uruguay and the United States.
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The Florida SBDC Network’s leadership team from the State Director's Office and the eight regional centers met at the 7th Annual Capitol Briefing in Washington DC, in April, to brief the Florida delegation on the economic impact of federal funds invested in Florida. The highlight of the evening was the award of the 2007 Dividend$ Award to Congressman John Mica. True to his reputation, the Congressman spent almost an hour with those attending ensuring that they had his time and attention before he returned to the floor for a vote. While in DC the leadership team, accompanied by Rod Vargas, the Florida Small Businessman of the Year, walked the halls speaking to members and their staffs on small business issues.

L-R: Eunice Choi, SBDC at UCF; Rod Vargas, Apex Environmental Engineering & Compliance, Inc; Congressman John Mica; Katherine Hoelscher, FSBDCN State Director's Office

Network Staff, Lender and Volunteers Recognized for Performance Excellence
At the Florida SBDC Network's 2007 Professional Development Conference at the Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites in June, staff, lender and volunteers were recognized for outstanding performance and contributions to the Network. The award categories include Lenders' Hall of Fame, Regional Employee of the Year, Regional Certified Business Analyst of the Year, Regional Volunteer of the Year, National ASBDC State Star of the Year and Florida Star of the Year. Network Service Awards were also presented to staff members achieving increments of five continuous years of service with the FSBDCN.
Click to view performance and service award winners
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In This Issue

Student Participation in Reality Labs

Community Outreach: Initiatives for Expanding, Supporting and Partnering

Inspiration & Creativity Through Business Education

Diversity Through Collaboration

Community Awareness: SBDC Visibility

Global Relations: Developments

Excellence in Quality Improvement

FSBDCN Recognizes Excellence