Florida SBDC at FGCU earns national recognition
August 20, 2024
Left to right: Tim Hall, business consultant at SBDC at FGCU; Donna Jarrett, business consultant at SBDC at FGCU; Suzanne Specht, business consultant at SBDC at FGCU; Heidi Cramer, small business consultant at SBDC at FGCU; Luis Vargas, business consultant I at SBDC at FGCU; and Dorian Zwierewicz, regional director at SBDC at FGCU.
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at FGCU received two awards from the U.S. Small Business Administration for its commitment to supporting small businesses in Southwest Florida. The center was honored with the following awards:
- 2024 South Florida District Small Business Development Center of the Year
- 2024 Region IV Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award
The center provides no-cost consulting, training and resources to help entrepreneurs start, grow and succeed in their ventures. In 2023, the Florida SBDC at FGCU assisted more than 1,300 small businesses, resulting in business owners securing over $28 million in capital, securing over $40 million in government contracts, impacting over 4,200 jobs, increasing sales by over $30 million and starting 114 new businesses.
From left to right: Heidi Cramer, small business consultant at SBDC at FGCU; Neil Shnider, business consultant at SBDC at FGCU; Dr Chris Westley, dean of FGCU’s Lutgert College of Business; and Dorian Zwierewicz, regional director of SBDC at FGCU.
“We are incredibly proud of the Florida SBDC at FGCU for receiving these well-deserved awards,” said Dorian Zwierewicz, regional director. “Their unwavering dedication to serving small businesses, coupled with their innovative approach to fostering entrepreneurship, truly sets them apart as a model for SBDC centers across the region. We commend their hard work and look forward to their continued success in empowering Southwest Florida’s entrepreneurial community.
