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| For Release: IMMEDIATE | Contact: Public Affairs |
| Date: January 18, 2002 |
Excellent Small Business Centers honored at State Board of Community Colleges meeting
RALEIGH: The second annual Small Business Center Network Awards were presented during the January State Board of Community College meeting. Four community colleges were honored for the accomplishments of their respective Small Business Centers. Representatives of the centers and the colleges received plaques for this special recognition.
The state’s 58 Small Business Centers (SBCs) have collectively served close to 70,000 individuals, hosted more than 4700 business events and provided counseling or information to almost 19,000 persons in more than 11,000 hours of counseling. SBCN State Director Gayle Harvey explained that the fours selected centers were excelled in assisting in an outstanding business story, conducting an innovative program or small business assistance process, and meeting the special needs of their small business community.
Forsyth Technical Community College received the Outstanding Service Award for going beyond the call of duty to meet the needs of a small business community with special needs. The immigrant community, primarily Hispanic, rose from 2,102 in 1990 to 19,577 in 2000. FTCC successfully collaborated with local government organizations on a grant that helped fund the Southside Hispanic Center, which opened in April of 2001. The center offers Spanish-language education, resource library and social and business assistance. In addition to free workshops, SBC Director Sue Marion provides on site, one-on-one business counseling twice a week and schedules weekly visits to Hispanic-owned businesses.
For the second year in a row, Haywood Community College won the Western Region Award for Excellence, which includes a cash award of $500. Cackleberry Mountain, an extremely successful signature store offering unique different and hard-to-find items owes its success to the guidance received at the Haywood CC SBC. Owners Nina Snow and Debby DeLucchi call the suggestions and expert advice they received "invaluable."
HCC’s Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative promotes entrepreneurial activities to many groups and has won an award from the US Department of Agriculture's Fund for Rural America. Quarterly newsletters and a Web site are used to promote the college's focus on entrepreneurship. SBC Director Sharron Bleyl serves on the Haywood County Economic Development Commission’s Steering Committee, working to implement the strategic plan for county economic development. Bleyl also recruited HCC students to conduct research that has led to a Golden LEAF Foundation application.
The Eastern Region Award for Excellence , with a cash award of $500, went to Coastal Carolina Community College. Hilda Coston, owner of Hilda’s Cooking and Catering, won the annual Onslow County Small Business Person of the Year Award and credits the local SBC for her success. Since August 1998 the business, which employs 25 people, has grown from one catering small family gatherings to serving groups as large as 1500. A new banquet room seats 65 additional people.
The Coastal Carolina SBC, Anne Shaw, Director, was a major sponsor of the Business and Technology Expo 2001 which was one of the most successful business events held in the community. Being in a military community brings special opportunities to do a variety of programs targeted to the unique needs of existing small business, and budding entrepreneurs. Marines and sailors often have the dream of opening their own business at the end of their military commitment and are eager to learn business procedures. The SBC sponsors a special trade show, provides seminars and information sessions and conducts individualized business counseling specifically designed for military personnel.
Central Carolina Community College won the Central Region Award and also the Statewide Award for Excellence, which has a cash award of $1000. Because the college believes in the energy and economic vitality that small businesses contribute to the three counties in its service area (Chatham, Harnett and Lee) and the 200,000 population that it serves, it has created a Small Business Center in each county. Each center performs outstanding services including hosting respective, well-attended Business Expositions.
With Leon Tongret as Chatham SBC Director, the center helped to convert a Pittsboro eyesore into Little Creek Farm; a small restaurant and gift shop that opened in July 2001 with five employees and now has a steady stream of breakfast and lunch customers. The business benefits neighboring businesses; increased the tax base; and added parking spaces, which the town sorely needed.
The assistance provided by Jim Felton, Lee SBC Director, helped Sandy Synder’s Days Gone By gift shop win recognition for having the best business plan from the Sanford Chamber of Commerce.
Deborah Blackmon, of Blackmon’s Catering, has been a full service caterer since 1998, recently catering an event for 500. She credits Triangle South Enterprise Center and the Harnett SBC for the administrative and systems support that she received.
Harnett SBC Director Nancy Blackman offers business loans through the USDA. The SBC, located in the Triangle South Enterprise Center, is authorized to lend in a 19-county area and has a loan program exceeding $3.5 million. Businesses qualify only after being turned down by at least two banks. This year the center loaned more than $968,000 to eight businesses.
Small Business Center Network Advisory Committee Chair Scott Bauer congratulated the winners. Bauer is President/CEO of Southern Community Bank and Trust in Winston-Salem. His bank, along with First Commerce Bank in Charlotte and Catawba Valley Bank in Hickory, contributed the funds for the cash awards.
In other business at the State Board:
- Approved a contract with JPC Associates to conduct the Global TransPark Education and Training Center Transfer Study.
- Approved 15 new construction or repair and renovation projects, 11 to be financed with 2000 Higher Education Bond funds.
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