MAGNOLIA— Innovation and technology businesses sprout up in the fertile fields and research labs of Arkansas, not just in Seattle and Silicon Valley. Arkansas Small Business Development Center, the state’s largest and most comprehensive business assistance program, is changing its name to underscore its commitment to helping Arkansas science and technology entrepreneurs pursue new ideas and to assisting existing small businesses that want to better utilize technology.
The new name will be announced in Magnolia at a 2 p.m. news conference, Thursday, October 30 in the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center on the Southern Arkansas University campus. The conference will be hosted by the Arkansas Small Business Development Center at Southern Arkansas University. SAU Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Brian Canfield, College of Business Dean Dr. Lisa Toms and a Representative from U.S. Congressman Mike Ross’ Office will join Center Director Paul Considine and other ASBDC officials in making the announcement.
“Changing our name illustrates an extension of our mission to serve Arkansas’ entrepreneurial community,” said Janet Roderick, Arkansas Small Business Development Center state director. “We began a decade ago to develop services for innovation and technology-based businesses when it became apparent that a key to economic growth in Arkansas would be our own innovation. Arkansas must be on the leading edge of technology to compete with other states and internationally in this economy.”
The center earned special technology accreditation from the national Association of Small Business Development Centers late last year. Of 63 SBDC’s across the country, Arkansas was just the fifth to receive the technology designation. ASBDC had to demonstrate the ability to assist clients in areas such as technology transfer, commercialization, research and development funding, intellectual property and equity financing.
Arkansas Small Business Development Center assists innovation-based businesses through its network of offices across the state. Established in 1980, the program is a partnership of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business.
In addition to the lead center at UALR and office at SAU, other regional offices are located at Arkansas State University, Henderson State University, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, University of Arkansas – Fort Smith and University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology in McGehee. All services, which include consulting, research and training, are available at low or no cost through the center’s partnership with the SBA and higher education institutions across Arkansas.
About the SBDC Network
Uniting private enterprise, government, higher education and local non-profit economic development organizations, the Small Business Development Center national network is the SBA’s largest partnership program, providing management and technical assistance to help Americans start, run and grow their own businesses. With approximately 1,000 offices across the nation, the SBDC network assists approximately 725,000 small businesses every year.
For more information, call Felicia Bozeman, fabozeman@saumag.edu, (870)235-4007 or Gwen Green, gagreen@ualr.edu, (501)683-7700.
