Archive for 'Press Releases'

Lexington, Ky – (June 6, 2013) – Becky Naugle, State Director of the Kentucky Small Business Development Center, was inducted into the Lexington NAWBO Hall of Fame at the 2013 NAWBO Winners’ Circle event, held in Lexington on April 11, 2013.

Naugle is the second recipient of this high honor in the history of the Lexington chapter of NAWBO. In 1998 Lewis Owens, publisher of the Lexington-Herald Leader, received the first NAWBO Hall of Fame Award. Fifteen years later, NAWBO was moved to bestow the Hall of Fame Award on another NAWBO “guardian angel.” NAWBO Chapter President Amy Johnson presented the Naugle with the award.

The KSBDC has been a longtime corporate partner and Winners’ Circle sponsor for many years. Under the leadership of Naugle many of NAWBO members have been featured speakers at KSBDC conferences and training seminars, as well as recipients of dozens of prestigious SBA awards statewide and nationally. KSBDC has brought several nationally known authors and speakers to their Lexington conferences and has allowed NAWBO the honor of co-hosting these outstanding events with them.

Becky is well-known for her work to promote [NAWBO] businesses to any prospective business clients she may encounter, in addition to speaking out for woman-owned businesses to countless legislators for many years. The fact that she grew up working in a family-owned business and owned her own business for ten years has no doubt provided Becky with the work experience and sensitivity to all of the issues that our NAWBO members face each day in our own businesses. She truly has the devoted heart of a woman business owner.

- Janey Moores, NAWBO member

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 3, 2013) – The Kentucky Small Business Development Center (KSBDC) will induct the sixth class of the Kentucky Business Pacesetters on May 22 in Frankfort at the Capitol Rotunda. The Kentucky Business Pacesetter Program honors high performing, second-stage businesses that are producing innovative products, increasing sales, creating jobs and serving communities in Kentucky.

This year’s outstanding Kentucky businesses are: Read More →

Agencies encouraged to reach out to ethnic minority small businesses to increase participation

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 6, 2013) – Upon recommendation from the Governor’s Minority Employment, Business Affairs & Economic Development Council, the Finance and Administration Cabinet is now requiring executive branch agencies to reach out to ethnic minority vendors when possible to contract for goods or services.

“Doing business with the Commonwealth is not just for large companies,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “With this initiative, we are specifically asking agencies to widen their solicitation reach and try to work with ethnic minority businesses on smaller contract opportunities or figure out what portions of a contract can be fulfilled by an ethnic minority business.” Read More →

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today launched a new web page and blog dedicated to educating small business owners about the Affordable Care Act. The new tools will serve as a gateway for small business owners connecting them with information provided by SBA’s federal partners responsible for implementing the law, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Read More →

LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 11, 2013) – There is still time to nominate a Kentucky business for the 7^th Annual Kentucky Business Pacesetter Program, an awards program recognizing high performing second-stage businesses that are producing innovative products, increasing sales, creating jobs and serving communities in the commonwealth.

“Pacesetter” winners are selected based on the following criteria:

• Growth in number of employees
• Increase in sales and/or unit volume
• Innovativeness of the product or service
• Response to adversity
• Employee engagement and commitment
• Contribution to aide community-oriented projects
• Other criteria contributing to the business’ success

Read More →

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 18, 2012) — Small town retailers and restaurant businesses are the heart of our communities, so helping to ensure they thrive is vital to the local, state, and national economy.

The Kentucky Small Business Development Center’s (KSBDC) Small Town Merchant Program (STMP) will bring custom retail and restaurant business audits to small towns across the state. These business audits will assess everything from curb size appeal, merchandising, pricing structure and much more. Skilled SBDC consultants will then help business owners address weaknesses to strengthen and grow their businesses. Read More →

Learn How Your Business Can Work With a University on Product Development & Technology Commercialization

Are you a small business looking to work with a university on product development or technology commercialization? Learn from the experts how your business can benefit from university collaborations at Risks & Rewards of Small Business University Collaborations, a special two-day event held on October 16 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and October 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Lexington.

The event will feature four informative presentations by experts and a round table discussion moderated by Warren Nash with the Lexington Innovation and Commercialization Center.

Tickets for both days are $125 each and can be purchased at www.uidp.org.  For more information, please contact Johnannes Dapprich, (609) 637-0878.

Pictured: This year’s LYPA Rising Stars are, from left, Carrie Patterson, Maggie Mick, Ellie Clark, Rock Daniels, Patrick Robinson, Dr. Ryan Stanton, Fielding Rogers, Fausto Sarmiento and Jana Smoot White.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 26, 2012) – Bluegrass Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Consultant Fausto Sarmiento was recognized Tuesday as a 2012 Rising Star at the Lexington Young Professionals Association’s (LYPA) 10th Annual Rising Stars dinner held at Malone’s in Lexington. Read More →