 | | Cassius F. ButtsRegional AdministratorU.S. Small Business Administration |
  Administrator Contreras-Sweet held a roundtable discussion with Dr. Paul Judge (left) and Allen Nance (right) of TechSquare Labs in Atlanta. Community leaders participated in the dialogue around innovation and technology. What's Happening for Small Business In Your Area?State By State | | Alabama DistrictTom Todt, Alabama District Director Recently a team from SBA HQ and GSA met with the Alabama District Office and the Birmingham Disaster Loan Servicing Center to begin planning for an office relocation set for October 2017. The visit included a walk-through of the Birmingham SBA offices, as well as a requirements review session for both the District and Loan Center offices. |
 L to R: Tom Todt, Alabama District Director, Rick Vogler, Program Analyst for the Office of Capital Access; Gary Williams, Acting Director of the Facilities, Safety & Security Division; W. Justin Kidwell, Lease Contracting Officer, U.S. General Services Administration, Southeast Sunbelt Region, Public Buildings Service - Leasing Division  | | North Florida DistrictWilfredo J. Gonzalez, District DirectorThe North Florida District signed a Strategic Alliance Memorandum with the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce in early January. The Strategic Alliance opens opportunities for the SBA and the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce to work toward their mutual small business development goals. The groups will work together to bring workshops and other resources to small business owners in the area. Natalie Hall, SBA Veterans Representative, facilitated a Boots-to-Business Training the first week of January at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. Veterans, transitioning military service members, and their spouses were invited to start the new year off with training that can help them launch or grow their businesses. The training was attended by 9 transitioning service members. |
 | | South Florida DistrictFrancisco "Pancho" Marrero, District Director The South Florida District Office started the new year by renewing its Strategic Alliance Memorandum with Florida Memorial University—the District's only Historically Black College & University (HBCU). Through the SAM, the District has engaged in entrepreneurial training for the students. During the next phase of the relationship, District staff will increase entrepreneurial education efforts to include additional topics and outreach avenues. In February, the SBA will participate in the School's "FMU Means Business" program. The SAM was signed by FMU President Roslyn Artis and Dr. Abbass Entessari, Dean of FMU's School of Business and on behalf of SBA, by Althea Harris.
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Left to right: Dr. Abbass Entessari, Dean, FMU's School of Business, FMU President Roslyn Artis, Althea Harris, SBA Lead Economic Development Specialist, Dr. Barbara Edwards, Associate Professor of Management | |  |
Also in this new year, the South Florida District Office continues to showcase SBA on the weekly "Let's Talk SBA" segment of the "Pete de la Torre Business Hour" Radio show on 880 AM The Biz. Tune in online every Tuesday morning at 8:00-8:30 to hear live from SBA experts on the latest SBA news, tips, and trends and on how we help entrepreneurs start, grow, and succeed in business.  | | Georgia DistrictTerri Denison, District Director The Georgia District Office is now taking applications for the 2016 Emerging Leaders Program in Atlanta. The program, now in its ninth year, is an intensive executive-level training series over seven months intended to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses in America's urban areas. Developed by SBA and drawing on the experiences of advisors and business leaders in urban communities across the country, this comprehensive curriculum provides the tools needed to take existing companies to the next level. Applications will be taken through Friday, March 4 with the program starting in mid-April. For more details on the Emerging Leaders program and the application process, please click here or go to www.sba.gov/ga. |
 | | Kentucky DistrictRalph Ross, District Director Kentucky Hosts Another Emerging Leaders Program The SBA Emerging Leaders Initiative is a federal training initiative that specifically focuses on executives of businesses poised for growth in historically challenged communities. The initiative provides these executives with the organizational framework, resource network, and motivation required to build sustainable businesses and promote the economic development within urban communities. Kentucky held its first Emerging Leaders program in the spring of 2015 and is currently recruiting small businesses for another program in April 2016. Feedback from past participates over a 2-year period indicate: • Significant revenue growth; 62% respondents reported an increase in annual revenue
• Creation of 252 new full time positions
• 40% of the participants secured federal, state, local and tribal contracts with a cumulative total of nearly $300 million
• Securing over $20M in new financing (loans, lines of credit, etc.) To find out more about this executive-level training opportunity, please visit www.sba.gov/emergingleaders for information on the Emerging Leader program in Louisville, KY as well as content covered, training details and selection criteria. |
 | | Mississippi DistrictJanita Stewart, District Director
Tarvis Bethea joined the SBA Mississippi District Office as its Administrative Officer on January 11th. Tarvis served as the Administrative Officer for the Army Corps of Engineers, Enterprise Information Technology (ACE-IT) located in Vicksburg, MS and has worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Tarvis has served in the U.S. Army in Georgia and New York as well as overseas in Germany and has received numerous Army Commendation and Achievement Medals, Certificates of Recognition, NATO medal and more. He's also a stanch supporter of the Combined Federal Campaign with ACE-IT and is active in the community through a youth sports club.
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Welcome to SBA Tarvis!!
Left to right: Tarvis Bethea, Janita Stewart, District Director and Gary Reed, Deputy District Director | |  |
 | | North Carolina DistrictLynn Douthett, District Director The SBA North Carolina District had an outstanding first quarter in fiscal year 2016. More than $192 million has been made available to 321 small businesses in the state. This is an 83 percent increase in dollars and an almost 60 percent rise in the number of loans. For the period of September 30 through December 31, 2015, the SBA guaranteed 304 loans for over $182 million under the SBA's 7(a) loan guaranty program, which provides short- and long- term capital for small businesses. SBA loans can be used for a variety of purposes, including inventory, operating expenses, accounts payable, and business acquisitions. The SBA approved almost $10 million in funding through its 504 program during the quarter. The 504 fixed-asset finance program can help small businesses acquire long-term assets such as property, equipment and machinery. The current lender ranking in North Carolina is available on our web page. Click here for a list of lenders that assist North Carolina small businesses.
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 | | Left to right: Jim Hicks, Vice President, Wells Fargo Bank; Lynn Douthett, SBA North Carolina District Director; and Chris Kwiatkowski, Senior Vice President, Yadkin Bank. |
Government Contracting Webinars - Fourth Tuesday of Every Month! Did you know the U.S. Government buys over $500 billion worth of goods and services every year? Would you like to find out how your business can access the federal marketplace? Want to learn about tools to help you grow your business? The SBA North Carolina District Office presents a brand new webinar to help you learn about government contracting. Among the topics covered: • Marketing to the Government • Procurement Process and Contracts • Application Process for 8(a) Certification • 8(a) Program Benefits: Joint Ventures and Mentor/Protégé • Access to Credit and Bonding 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month Click here for webinar content and dial-in instructions.  | | South Carolina DistrictElliott Cooper, District Director
The South Carolina District Office (SCDO) participated on January 21st, in a joint meeting with SBA National, USDA/Rural Development National Office and representatives from The Clemson Technology Villages to propose a regional approach to expanding the successful delivery of The Technology Villages to other states and universities. Through a SAM agreement SCDO has been supporting the existing 5 Technology Villages in South Carolina successfully creating and supported 38 companies with approximately 15 graduating from the program with another 8 currently completing pilot manufacturing with products in the market place. The program is currently serving 45 plus companies located in 4 of the operating centers. The 5th center is to begin producing results this year. The SCDO will participate on January 27th, in a reception/networking event with the South Carolina, Columbia Chamber of Commerce for Small & Minority Businesses. The SCDO will host a table and network with business owners to provide resources for the businesses to create, assist and expand small businesses in South Carolina. The SCDO will participate in a Disaster Recovery Symposium on January 29th, in Myrtle Beach, SC to provide information on how SBA can assist and support small businesses and residents during a disaster. This is a well-attended symposium due to the recent disaster events in South Carolina due to flooding and susceptibility to hurricanes on the Atlantic Coast. |
 | | Tennessee DistrictWalter Perry, District Director Tennessee participated in the Delta Regional Authority's Rural Opportunity Investment Conference in Memphis on January 12, which highlighted the collaboration between private and public sector organizations, like the SBA, in creating jobs in rural West Tennessee counties. On January 19, the Tennessee District welcomed the first cohort of Scale Up Nashville participants, who are small business owners participating in this SBA entrepreneurial training initiative being delivered by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Lender Relations staff have been working to identify new lenders, especially in rural counties, and the District welcomes banks and credit unions who have an interest in becoming a SBA lender to contact us for more information on how to participate as lending is currently at $75 million statewide through 128 loans since the start of Fiscal Year 2016. Of note to established small business owners in Memphis and Nashville -- the Tennessee District is now accepting applications for the Emerging Leaders Initiative in both cities, with more information available and an application link at https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-initiatives/sba-emerging-leaders-initiative. |
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