NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

5/14/2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-By finding its niche, Northwestern State University's Small Business Development Center has developed a way to better serve clients in north and central Louisiana.

Northwestern's SBDC has been productive, generating 62 percent of loan production and 47 percent of total capitalization obtained by the 13 Small Business Development Centers in Louisiana.

"I am extremely proud of the work done by the staff of Northwestern's Small Business Development Center. They work extremely hard to meet the need of small businesses in this region," said NSU president Dr. Randall J. Webb. "Businesspeople know that the SBDC provides advice which can help their business be a success and help in our state's economic development efforts."

According to Dion Boyett, director of Northwestern's SBDC, has become adept at packaging loans which are vital to small businesses.

"There are many things Small Business Development Centers do well, but each Center finds a niche," he said. "We found there was a need for a resource which can be utilized by traditional financial institutions. Our SBDC can provide analysis that can be presented to a financial institution. We put together a package that is of consistently high quality and aids them in making a credit decision."

Northwestern's SBDC offers a complete business consulting package to entrepreneurs in an eight -parish area, according to Boyett. The Center serves Avoyelles, Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, Vernon and Winn parishes.

"Our clients are getting the capital they need to start business and to expand and create new jobs," said Boyett. "We are helping with economic development efforts in this region."

Boyett said the Center is also playing a role in job retention.

"In some cases, if a business doesn't receive capital or debt restructuring, they will have to lay off people to remain viable," he said. "Keeping jobs is every bit as important as creating jobs. We want to help small business owners keep their doors open.

For more information, call NSU's Small Business Development Center at (318) 357-5611.

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