During the 2020 National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration will honor Resource Partners for their impact on local economic development, and support of small business creation and growth across the nation. Additionally, all of SBA’s resource partners are being recognized for providing resources to small businesses as they work to sustain their operations and employees, as well as pivot and retool amid the global pandemic.
SBA is honoring the following Resource Partners with 2020 National Small Business Week awards:Southeastern Connecticut Women’s Business CenterUniversity of Pittsburgh Small Business Development CenterVeterans Business Outreach Center at Fayetteville State UniversitySCORE Chapter – Greater SeattleTheaward winners will be recognized during virtual events held on September 22-24,2020. Each year, the SBA counsels, trains and advises more than onemillion entrepreneurs and small business owners with the help of its resourcepartners. Together, SBA Resource Partners provide business consulting,access to capital, mentoring services, specialized training and the expertisefor each stage of a business’s lifecycle.
Their outstanding efforts havesupported the growth of small businesses, which in turn drives the nation’seconomy. Entrepreneurs receiving resource partner assistance are morelikely to start a business and successfully obtain the financing necessary forbusiness growth. TheSBA congratulates the following 2020 Resource Partner national award winners:Women’s Business Center ofExcellence AwardSoutheasternConnecticut Women’s Business CenterLauraStetler, Project Director, Women’s Development Business CouncilNewLondon, ConnecticutSince2018, the Southeastern Connecticut Women’s Business Center (WBC), based in NewLondon, has served the southeast part of Connecticut, including New London andMiddlesex Counties, with programs and services for aspiring, emerging andestablished entrepreneurs.
TheWomen’s Business Center of Excellence award honors the Southeastern ConnecticutWBC for its excellence and innovation in assisting women entrepreneurs byproviding diverse training and counseling. Thestate of Connecticut’s Women’s Business Development Council is host to three ofSBA’s WBCs, including the Southeastern Connecticut WBC. The WBC programwas founded to foster the growth of women-owned businesses by providing accessto education, training, mentoring, business development, and financingopportunities to women throughout the U.S. and its territories.
Small Business Development CenterExcellence and Innovation AwardUniversityof Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center (SBDC)RaymondVargo, DirectorPittsburgh,Pennsylvania                                                                                                     Establishedin 1979, the University of Pittsburgh has built an impressive record of servicefor clients. Director Raymond Vargo believes three of his SBDC’s programs standout as key to area small business growth and development. A “Launch MyBusiness” workshop is geared toward providing small business startup advice toentrepreneurs in coal-impacted communities interested in opening the doors tosmall business ownership. the University of Pittsburgh SBDC’s “ProblemSolvers-Decision Makers” course brings small business owners together sharingideas and formulating solutions to growth issues.
And two programs titled “UPMCEssentials for Success and “Doing Business with Pitt,” registered such positivefeedback they’ve now been expanded into additional Pennsylvania communities oremulated by other universities and colleges. TheUniversity of Pittsburgh SBDC is a member of the Pennsylvania SBDC andthe Association of Small BusinessDevelopment Centers (ASBDC) networks. As a member ofthese networks, they can draw on a rich base to provide clients with acomprehensive range of business services for every stage of development.
Nomatter what the business or industry, SBDC’s highly skilled consulting team hasexperience spanning the business lifecycle and are here to make sure thatbusinesses not only survive but grow.