NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
1/30/2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES - The Small Business Development Center at Northwestern State University has received a Standard of Excellence in Small Business Service Delivery Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
According to SBDC Director Dion Boyett, the center had to go through a 12-month process similar to the accreditation process academic programs go through to receive the award.
“A team examined our operations to verify the level of service our clients received, how our office operates and how well we are received in the area,” said Boyett. “They survey clients, municipalities and state officials to find out how well we operate and what the return on their investment is.”
The Small Business Development Center at NSU covers Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Red River, Sabine and Winn parishes.
In the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2007, SBDC staff met with 267 different clients and 515 people attended seminars, workshops or training events put on by the center. The Small Business Development Center was responsible for the creation of 56 jobs in its service area and $18,650,000 in capitalization obtained from the Small Business Administration, financial institutions or owner injection.
Over the past three months, attendance at training events has increased by more than 30 percent. Part of the reason for the increase, Boyett said, is the development of unique training sessions to meet the needs of specific groups or organizations.
For more information on The Small Business Development Center at Northwestern State University, call (318) 357-5858 or e-mail boyettd@nsula.edu.
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