The FSBDCN is one of eight original national SBDC pilot programs funded in 1976 by the US Small Business Administration to successfully link the state's education system to community outreach, utilizing both faculty and students to aid in the development and education of the state’s entrepreneurs and small business community. Today, the FSBDC is a statewide network of 33 centers involving seven universities and eight community colleges, with additional outreach provided at resource partner locations.


SBDC and Special Program Excellence



Fall 2005


In This Issue

SBDC and Special Program Excellence

Students Participate in Reality Labs

Inspirational & Creative Learning Through Business Education

Diversity Through Collaboration

Community Awareness: Where is the Visibility?

Community Outreach: How Are We Expanding, Supporting and Partnering?

Global Relations: What is Developing?

Quality Improvement Excellence

Dean of FGCU’s College of Business, Dr. Richard Pegnetter, and SBDC Certified Business Analyst Julio Estremera.
 

In September, Julio Estremera, Certified Business Analyst for the SBDC at Flordia Gulf Coast University, was recognized as one of the awardees at the 2005 Hispanic Men and Women of Distinction Awards Gala. He was recognized for his success in business, support of charitable causes, outstanding leadership, and positive impact on their communities. The Inaugural Awards Gala benefitted the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and took place in Bonita Springs.

Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Program clients have won over $5.2 billion in contracts in the last 19 years, helping to create or retain 100,440 jobs. In 2004, PTAC clients won over $273 million in contracts.
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L-R: Pamella Dana, Jerry Cartwright, Dan Regelski, Sandy Baruah,
Larry Strain and Irene Hurst

In September, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the FSBDCN as the winner of the 2005 EDA Excellence in Economic Development Award for Economic Adjustment Strategies. The award recognizes the FSBDC’s commitment to the Florida small business community following the aftermath of four hurricanes crisscrossing Florida in 2004.
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Students Participate in Reality Labs

Irene Hurst teaches USF College of Business Entrepreneurship class

During the Fall semester, Irene Hurst, Director of the SBDC at USF, taught an Entrepreneurship class for the USF College of Business Administration, Management Department. The class is an elective for junior and senior level students. It is a very popular class that is offered once a year and it always runs at full capacity. The students learn how to start a business-from conducting a feasibility analysis to writing a business plan. As a part of the curriculum, the students work in groups to interview small business owners, develop a SWOT analysis and provide recommendations. The students learn entrepreneurship from "real" small business owners.

Each semester, the SBDC at USF reaches out to the Tampa Bay Area business community to recruit potential candidates for the USF MBA program’s Capstone Course. With over 45 SBDC clients moving through the program over the last few years, the companies have received over six months of interaction with MBA students. Click to Read More


USF student team visits client construction site


USF MBA Capstone Course students confer with their professor Dr. Solomon


  SBDC at Brevard Community College Director is Vice-Chair of the BW Simpkins Business Seminar for Entrepreneurial Development. On November 1, Wally Amos, Founder of Gourmet Cookie Industry Famous Amos Cookies, was the guest lecturer on Recipes for Entrepreneurial Success. Amos addressed students, faculty and interested Brevardians at the Cocoa and Melbourne campuses. Peake attended a luncheon for Wally Amos at the King Center for Performing Arts.


L-R: Vicky Peake, Wally Amos, and James Newell of NEWCO Enterprises (SBDC at BCC Client).  


SBDC at UNF provided live small business cases for two classes in the Coggin College of Business at UNF: Advanced Small Business Consulting (graduate level) and Entrepreneurial Marketing (undergraduate). Students apply what they have learned to assisting the businesses with business plans, marketing plans, etc.

SBDC at FAU Certified Business Analysts Rafael Cruz and Ted Kramer guest lectured to Florida Atlantic University business classes on the topic of entrepreneurship during the fall semester.
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Inspirational & Creative Learning
Through Business Education

SBDC at UNF made use of a number of entrepreneurial guest speakers in the three undergraduate classes taught by SBDC staff members: Planning a New Business, Entrepreneurial Marketing and Family Business Management. More than 10 entrepreneurs participated in one or more of the classes as a guest speaker.

The SBDC at UNF partnered with the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce to offer area entrepreneurs access to SmallBizU eLearning courses online. This distance learning will supplement the “live” training currently offered by the SBDC. SmallBizU will provide small business owners with a menu of more than 20 online courses in marketing, finance and management that users can work through at their own pace.

Kevin Monahan continued to develop specialized programs in the community for non-profit organizations. Under contract with the City of Jacksonville, the SBDC at UNF offered strategic business plan training to recipients of city grants through the City’s Faith-Based Initiatives Program. In addition, the SBDC also offered this same training to a large non-profit organization and its board. These innovative training programs are in response to a growing need from the non-profit community to operate their organizations more like entrepreneurs.

Ken Stephanz, Certified Business Analyst at the SBDC at Indian River Community College, was invited by the IRCC Business College to make a presentation to its accredited Entrepreneurship class. His presentation on the SBDC and an abridged version of How to Start a Small Business was so interactive and successful with the students that he was invited back for a second session the following week.

The SBDC at Brevard Community College and the SBDC's Defense Economic Transition Assistance Center Program (DETA) held the 5th Annual Veterans' Conference at the King Center for Performing Arts in late September. Scott Denniston, Director of the Office of Small Business and Center for Veterans' Enterprise in Washington, was the keynote speaker. Denniston holds the distinction of being the first SBDC at BCC Veterans' Conference keynoter. Also speaking were Colonel Gregory Billman, Vice Commander 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base; Dave Gibson, General Services Administration; Linda Sherod, Patrick Air Force Base; David Wansley, NASA Kennedy Space Center; Neil Mullinss, Northrop Grumman; and Deborah Melvin, The Boeing Company. The Boeing Company was the breakfast sponsor of the event.
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Scott Denniston speaks to participants at SBDC at BCC Veterans' Conference

Diversity Through Collaboration

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